Connecting With Nature: An educational guide for grades four to six Acknowlegements
The educational resource Connecting With Nature was developed by:
Authors: David Suzuki Foundation, Schulich School of Education, Nipissing University, Brantford and North Bay Campus Publishing and editing: David Suzuki Foundation Photography: iStockphotos and Creative Commons images Artwork: Giant Ant Media Graphic design: David Suzuki Foundation Project managers: Leanne Clare (David Suzuki Foundation), Jenny Guibert (Schulich School of Education, Nipissing University) Staff: Rachelle Delaney, Mel Lefebvre, Gail Mainster, Shannon Moore Interns: Sarah Austin, Brittany Burdett, Heather Gauthier, Lara Hughes, Sarah Krzyzek, Brittany Perry, Jordan Tamblyn, Carol Tsang, Austin Vanlierop
The David Suzuki Foundation applauds the hard work and dedication of hundreds of students and faculty at Nipissing University’s Schulich School of Education who helped re-create this guide. Their contributions made this resource easy to use and lots of fun for students. We hope this resource inspires more young people to explore all the wonders that nature has to offer. Special thanks to:
●● Dr. Sharon Rich, Dean, Schulich School of Education
●● Dr. Maria Cantalini-Williams, Associate Dean (Interim), Schulich School of Education
●● Dr. John Vitale and his students in Primary / Junior Social Studies and Junior / Intermediate Social Studies
●● Dr. Astrid Steele and her students in Junior / Intermediate Science
●● Alysha Cory and Melissa Nucci, teacher-candidate volunteers
●● Andrea Cousineau and the staff at the Laboratory School at the Dr. Eric Jackman Institute for Child Study.
Connecting With Nature is based and built on The Nature Challenge Teacher’s Guide published by the David Suzuki Foundation in 2006. This educational resource would not exist without all of the hard work that went into that original guide.
Special thanks to G. Raymond Chang and family for providing the funding for this project.
ISBN 978-1-897375-47-1
Canadian Cataloguing in Publication Data for this book is available through the National Library of Canada.This report can be downloaded free of charge at: davidsuzuki.org/what-you-can-do/connecting-with-nature-education-guide/
Suite 219, 2211 West 4th Avenue, Vancouver, BC V6K 4S2 Toll-free: 1-800-453-1533 [email protected] davidsuzuki.org Connecting With Nature: An educational guide for grades four to six
Visit davidsuzuki.org/youthandnature Contents
Educational resources H: Gone with the wind 66
Introduction 3 I: In limbo 76
Quick start guide 4 J: Down the drain 86
Key concepts 5 K: Getting there 94
Lessons 6 L: What’s inside your personal Lessons described 8 care products? 102
Choosing lessons 13 M: Round the year 115
The power of collective action N: Where’s the beef? 121 through a class foundation 14 O: Greenbelt game show 126
Dealing with controversy 14 P: A celebration of nature 139 Taking it home 15 Lesson resources Parent letter 16 Glossary 141 Further reading 17 Ontario Curriculum Lessons learning skills checklist • Grade 4 145 Class foundation 18 • Grade 5 152 Foundation role descriptions 21 • Grade 6 157 Foundation role sign-up sheets 22 Assessment overview 163 A: Walkabout 23 Technology overview 164 B: Barnyard in my classroom 28 Student achievement chart 165 C: Who is David Suzuki? 31 Arts rubric 167 D: Living within the limits of nature 36 Oral communication rubric 169 E: Classroom landfill 45 Peer assessment / Self-assessment 170 F: The powerful pollinators 53 Anecdotal notes organizer 171 G: Celebrating biodiversity 61 3
Introduction
Two common requests we get at the David Suzuki Foundation are for David Suzuki to speak to schools and for ideas on what young people can do to help protect nature. Science hasn’t figured out how to clone 1,000 different David Suzukis to meet all of those speaking requests. But we have crafted this educator’s resource to help children explore their profound connection to nature and experience the power of collective action.
The eminent Harvard biologist E.O. Wilson coined the term biophilia, referring to our need to affiliate with other speciesbio ( = life; philia = love). He believes this need is built into our genes, a reflection of our evolutionary roots.
You can see biophilia in young children and their curiosity about the natural world around them. Connecting children with nature in thei everyday lives is the first step in an environmental education. That’s why this guide encourages students to get outside in every lesson and capitalize on that curiosity.
Studies have shown that spending time in nature helps with recall and memory, Our children have exchanged problem solving, and creativity. Children the experience of outdoors (and adults) who spend more time outside and nature with the enclosed are also physically healthier. world of electronics. This is disturbing because a person for Each day we face a barrage of stories about whom nature is a stranger will environmental risks and disasters, vanishing not notice, let alone care about, wilderness, and endangered species. This environmental degradation. resource explores many of those issues and — David Suzuki helps students understand how they are connected with nature, the impact of their actions on nature, and how they can take action to bring about positive change.
If we want to protect the natural world on which our survival depends, we must learn that we are a part of it, and we must encourage our children to appreciate its wonders. As you work through the lesson plans with your students, encourage creativity and act as a role model by being as engaged as possible in the outdoor activities and sharing your own personal experiences with nature.
The David Suzuki Foundation is a science-based organization committed to helping Canadians act on the understanding that we are all interconnected and interdependent with nature — and each other. Helping young people develop a love of nature is key to achieving that vision. 4
Quick start guide
Connecting With Nature is aligned with Acting Today, Shaping Tomorrow, the Ontario Ministry of Education’s policy framework for environmental education. It is designed to help students understand how their daily choices affect nature. There are 16 cross- curricular lessons in the educational resource, each comprising idea / activity-based learning that inspires environmental stewardship in both the classroom and beyond, culminating in a celebration of all they have learned. In addition, students have the opportunity, through inquiry-based learning, to create their own “class foundation” focused on their collective interests and actions. For more information on the class foundation, see p. 18.
The introductory lessons establish clarity around students’ existing knowledge and the idea that everything is connected to nature. The core lessons explore more specific topics and ideas and the value of nature. Overall, this resource helps students become more aware of how to live within the limits of nature.
These lessons are suitable for children in grades four through six. There is an indoor and outdoor component to each lesson. Teacher tips are provided as well as technology suggestions that offer alternative approaches for different grade levels or learning styles. The technology components may be used to enhance students’ learning and foster a deeper connection with nature. Every lesson includes a guiding question and a set of reflection questions that help bring the ideas together and allow students to consolidate their learning.
Throughout the resource, students are encouraged to question information and sources in their search for meaning and form their own conclusions and justify their perspectives.
In designing the lessons, preference was given to activities that are fun, hands-on, and thought provoking. We encourage you to combine the information in this guide with other resources that you find relevant to the needs of your students, including other activities, guides, books, magazine articles, newspapers, and Internet posts. A list of resources accompanies each lesson to assist you with this research.
To reduce the footprint of this resource, please use LCD / overhead projectors and Smart Boards to share the background information in each lesson with your students.
Connecting With Nature will help your students discover that, collectively, they can make a difference by taking a conscious and active role in protecting nature. Through their participation in the activities, they will have opportunities to share what they are learning with their fellow students, family, and community members. 5
Key concepts
Connect with nature. Children will feel compelled to protect what they understand and feel connected to. Because we learn best by experiencing and doing, spending time outside is the best way to begin to foster children’s relationship with nature.
Everything in nature is connected. As biological creatures, humans depend on clean air, clean water, clean soil, and clean energy, as well as a variety of plants and animals (called biodiversity) for our well-being and survival. We are linked to nature by what we buy, how we get around, what we eat, and where we live.
Nature is valuable. Although many Canadians recognize the importance of the environment to their well- being, the services that nature provides are often not accounted for. For example, trees clean our air and forests, and wetlands filter our water. Green urban spaces absorb carbon, cool our cities, and protect us from storms. It would be expensive to develop and build facilities to replace these ecosystem services.
Live within the limits of nature. Everything we do has an impact on nature. Air, water, and land are finite resources, and we cannot create a bigger planet to accommodate our growing population. Therefore, we must begin to live within the limits of nature or face consequences like climate change and resource scarcities.
Change is all about personal decisions and collective action. We all play a part in making change. There are little everyday actions and choices we can make that can have a profound impact on nature.
It is also important to take collective action when tackling our most pressing environmental challenges. Joining together to achieve a common goal can be a powerful force for change.
Good discussion can be controversial. We have a right to have our voices heard. We must also respect the opinions of others, even when we disagree. By sharing our views with people in positions of influence, from parents to neighbourhood committees to governments, we can change the way things are done. 6
Lessons
A consistent format has been maintained for the lessons with most, if not all, of the following sections:
Guiding question An all-encompassing question that students should be able to answer after completing the lesson. It also provides an opportunity to take an inquiry-based approach to the lesson.
What’s the point? The overall message and a summary of the ideas that may emerge during discussions.
Suggested strategies for assessment Strategies to assist teachers in evaluating the students as they complete the lessons. Assessments evaluate either the students’ learning skills or their comprehension of content. Each strategy is paired with an assessment tool found in the Lesson Resources section.
Hook Designed to engage students and introduce them to the topic that will be covered during the lesson.
Time How much time you will need for the activity and for discussions.
What you need A list of materials needed for the lesson.
Resources A list of handouts or other resources. This section may include an appendix of additional information about the topic for teacher reference or student use. The background appendices are relatively short and get across the main points introduced in the lesson while adding some facts. It may also include student pages, worksheets to assist students with data collection and small group tasks.
What you do The main portion of each lesson and a guide for educators using a step-by-step approach. This section includes the hook, what you do, and reflection questions. Each lesson has an outdoor and indoor component. 7
Reflection questions To guide class discussions. These questions draw out student perspectives and understanding about the connection to nature discovered during the lesson.
Taking it further This section describes different activities that you can do to extend the activity.
Smart board, mobile phones, LCD / overhead projectors Descriptions ofvand appeal to students’ diverse learning styles.
Most lessons provide background information that you may want to share with your students. To reduce the footprint of this resource, please use LCD / overhead projectors and Smart Boards to share that information.
Community / home engagement activities Specific to each lesson and can be completed in the community or at home. They allow students to engage in the topic outside of the classroom and extend their knowledge about nature with those around them.
Optional class activities Additional activities that can be completed in class to enhance the lesson, provide opportunity for assessment, and further opportunities for environmental stewardship. These activities are unique to each lesson and relate to the main idea / topic. Optional activities may be substituted for the main portion of the lesson.
Additional resources and websites A list of resources that can be explored by the teacher and the students to gather more information related to the main topic of the lesson and the actions you can take.
Teacher tip Advice based on our experience field-testing the lesson. 8
Lessons described
Title Guiding Activity Subject areas question Grade 4 Grade 5 Grade 6
A Walkabout What does the Create a S habitat and H&PE living skills, S biodiversity term nature collaborative communities healthy living H&PE living skills, mean to you definition H&PE living skills, L oral healthy living and how are of nature healthy living communication, you connected with a class L oral reading, writing to it? mind map L oral communication, communication, reading, writing reading, writing
B Barnyard What Play games S habitat and S conservation S biodiversity in my relationships do and create communities, rocks of energy and H&PE living skills, classroom humans have lists to and minerals resources, human healthy living with nature? explore H&PE living skills, organ systems how natural L oral healthy living H&PE living skills, resources communication, healthy living are used in L oral reading, writing everyday communication, L oral A visual objects with reading, writing communication, class mural A visual reading, writing A visual
C Who is Why has David Research S habitat and H&PE living skills, H&PE living skills, David Suzuki inspired David Suzuki communities, healthy living healthy living Suzuki? so many and his rocks and minerals L oral L oral Canadians to personal H&PE living skills, communication, communication, work together inspirations healthy living reading, media reading, media to protect literacy literacy nature? L oral communication, SS Canada’s link reading, media to the world literacy
D Living What happens Take a class S habitat and S conservation H&PE living skills, within the to nature if you hike with communities of energy and healthy living limits of always pursue student H&PE living skills, resources, human L oral nature your wants and worksheet healthy living organ systems communication, never consider H&PE living skills, reading, writing living within L oral healthy living your needs? communication, reading, writing L oral communication, reading, writing
A The arts | H&PE Health and physical education | L Language | M Math | S Science | SS Social science 9
Title Guiding Activity Subject areas question Grade 4 Grade 5 Grade 6
E Classroom What effect Create a M data M data M data landfill does all the classroom management management management garbage and landfill to and probability and probability and probability waste we create discover S habitat and S conservation S biodiversity have on nature? the effects communities of energy and of litter H&PE living skills, resources, human with class H&PE living skills, healthy living organ systems worksheet healthy living L oral L oral H&PE living skills, communication, communication, healthy living reading reading L oral communication, reading SS aspects of citizenship and government in Canada
F The What are Research S habitat and S human S biodiversity powerful pollinators pollination communities, rocks organ systems H&PE living skills, pollinators and how do and and minerals H&PE living skills, healthy living we depend on pollinators H&PE living skills, healthy living them? with student L oral healthy living worksheet L oral communication, L oral communication, reading, writing, communication, reading, writing, media literacy reading, writing, media literacy A drama media literacy A drama A drama
G Celebrating Why is Create an M data M data M data biodiversity biodiversity informational management and management and management and important to mobile probability probability probability the natural S habitat and S conservation S electricity and balance of life? communities of energy and electrical devices, L oral resources biodiversity communication, L oral L oral reading, writing, communication, communication, media literacy reading, writing, reading, writing, SS Canadian media literacy media literacy territories, A visual A visual provinces, and regions A visual
A The arts | H&PE Health and physical education | L Language | M Math | S Science | SS Social science 10
Title Guiding Activity Subject areas question Grade 4 Grade 5 Grade 6
H Classroom How does Build draft M data M data M data landfill reducing the detectors management and management and management and amount of with student probability probability probability energy you use worksheet S habitat and S conservation of S electricity and to heat your communities energy and electrical devices home or school resources help nature? H&PE living skills, H&PE living skills, healthy living H&PE living skills, healthy living L oral healthy living L oral communication, L oral communication, reading communication, reading reading
I In limbo What can we Do the limbo S habitat and S conservation of S electricity and do to reduce game using communities, rocks energy and electrical devices energy use in scenario cards and minerals resources H&PE living skills, our homes to H&PE living skills, H&PE living skills, healthy living help us live healthy living healthy living within the limits L oral of nature? L oral L oral communication, communication, communication, reading reading reading
J Down the How does the Do water M data M data M data drain water you use conservation management and management and management and every day affect and hand- probability probability probability the rest of the washing S habitat and S conservation of S living skills, planet? activity with communities energy and healthy living student resources, human worksheet H&PE living skills, L oral healthy living organ systems communication, L oral H&PE living skills, reading, writing communication, healthy living SS Canada’s link reading, writing L oral to the world communication, reading, writing
K Getting What are the Brainstorm M data M data M data there positives and appropriate management management management negatives of methods of and probability, and probability, and probability, leaving your car transportation measurement measurement measurement at home and using scenario S habitat and S conservation of S electricity and finding another cards with communities energy and electrical devices way to get group resources, human around? worksheet H&PE living skills, H&PE living skills, active living, organ systems healthy living, healthy living H&PE living skills, active living L oral active living, L oral communication healthy living communication, L oral reading communication, reading
A The arts | H&PE Health and physical education | L Language | M Math | S Science | SS Social science 11
Title Guiding Activity Subject areas question Grade 4 Grade 5 Grade 6
L What’s What’s inside Make M data M data M data inside your your personal moisturizer management and management and management and personal care products? or toothpaste probability probability, human probability care with student S habitat and organ systems H&PE living skills, products? worksheet communities H&PE living skills, healthy living H&PE living skills, healthy living L oral healthy living L oral communication, L oral communication, reading, media communication, reading, media literacy reading, media literacy literacy SS aspects of SS Canadian citizenship and territories, government in provinces, and Canada regions
M Round the What are Play an S habitat and S conservation H&PE living skills, year the benefits outdoor game communities, rocks of energy and healthy living of buying identifying and minerals resources, human L oral foods grown seasonal H&PE living skills, organ systems communication, in-season, foods and healthy living H&PE living skills, reading naturally and class mural healthy living locally? L oral SS Canada’s link communication L oral to the world communication, reading
N Where’s In what ways Create a M data S conservation of M data the beef? does eating less display management and energy and management and meat promote comparing the probability resources, human probability healthy, energy used S habitat and organ systems S biodiversity sustainable to produce communities H&PE living skills, living? a variety of H&PE living skills, healthy living foods H&PE living skills, healthy living healthy living L oral L oral L oral communication, communication, communication, reading, writing, reading, writing, reading, writing, media literacy media literacy media literacy
A The arts | H&PE Health and physical education | L Language | M Math | S Science | SS Social science 12
Title Guiding Activity Subject areas question Grade 4 Grade 5 Grade 6
O Greenbelt What benefits Play a game S habitat and S conservation of S biodiversity game show do greenbelts show to communities, rocks energy and H&PE living skills, provide and learn about and minerals resources healthy living, why is it Canada’s H&PE living skills, H&PE living skills, active living important greenbelt active living active living, to protect L oral healthy living greenbelts? L oral communication, communication, L oral reading reading communication, A visual SS Canadian reading territories, A visual provinces, and regions A visual P A What have I Have a class celebration learned about party to of nature! my connection celebrate with nature and learning what I can do to protect it?
A The arts | H&PE Health and physical education | L Language | M Math | S Science | SS Social science 13
Choosing lessons
We think your students will enjoy doing all the activities in this book. But we know time is limited. To help you select suitable activities, here’s a menu of suggestions:
If you have time for eight activities: • Lesson A: Walkabout • Lesson C: Who is David Suzuki? • Lesson D: Living within the limits of nature • Lesson F: The powerful pollinators • Lesson H: Gone with the wind • Lesson K: Getting there • Lesson O: Greenbelt game show • Class foundation
If you have time for five activities: • Lesson B: Barnyard in my bedroom • Lesson D: Living within the limits of nature • Lesson F: The powerful pollinators • Lesson H: Gone with the wind • Lesson O: Greenbelt game show
If you have time for three activities: • Lesson B: Barnyard in my bedroom • Lesson D: Living within the limits of nature • Lesson O: Greenbelt game show 14
The power of collective action through a class foundation
It is important that students come away from the activities understanding the concepts, connections, and impacts of daily choices and knowing that their actions make a difference. This resource explores many ways for students to take individual action to protect nature. Through the class foundation exercise, students also have an opportunity to participate in the power of collective action.
Creating a class foundation is an opportunity to encourage students to discover which environmental issues they feel passionately about and to inspire them to take ownership of their actions. This opportunity may lead students to collectively act on their concerns and passions through various forms of environmental stewardship both inside and beyond the classroom. Creating a class foundation gives students the opportunity to display their talents, develop new skills, and form new interests. They can also experiment with ways of bringing the rest of their school or their entire community into their initiative.
Dealing with controversy
Challenging questions arise throughout this resource and students may not agree on the issues. The activities in this guide support students in developing their own ideas and opinions. Through a process of posing and exploring questions, students can decide for themselves before taking action. It is important that throughout these lessons, students are invited to make personal decisions about actions they wish to take, and respect the choices and opinions of others.
Discussing our relationship with nature can feel overwhelming. To help students feel more positive, focus on the wonder of nature, what has been achieved, and what students can do to protect nature. Seek out success stories in your community that highlight innovation and dedication. 15
Taking it home
To help your students apply what they learn in these lessons to their everyday lives outside the classroom, encourage them to continue discussions at home. The Community / Home Engagement section offers ideas on how students can review what they’ve learned and engage with their community and families through additional activities and discussions.
Included with this guide is a sample parent letter to help families understand the basic concepts that students will be introduced to throughout the lessons. It also invites families to participate in their children’s learning through the family activities.
Making changes at home can help protect nature and help us live within the limits of nature. One of the most significant ways students can contribute is by sharing what they learn with their loved ones.
Some other ideas • Encourage students to repeat experiments or activities at home with their families. • Ask students to discuss one of the reflection questions at home. • Email pertinent background information to families along with relevant website addresses featured in this resource. • Invite family members to participate in your class foundation project to encourage even greater collective action. 16
Parent letter
Dear Parents / Guardians,
Over the next few months, your child will be introduced to activities and concepts found in the David Suzuki Foundation’s educational resource Connecting With Nature. A variety of lessons will be conducted in both the classroom and surrounding community. These lessons demonstrate that we are connected with nature in everything we do: we are linked to nature by what we buy, how we get around, what we eat, and where we live.
The Connecting With Nature guide consists of 16 activity-based lessons that have both indoor and outdoor components. They are designed to motivate youth to make healthier choices for both themselves and the environment while helping them understand the value nature provides in their daily lives. With lessons on topics ranging from a basic introduction to what nature is, to preserving species, eating locally grown food, and learning about products we use every day, students will come to understand the concept of what we do to nature, we do to ourselves.
This guide is aligned with the Ontario curriculum and includes experiential and interactive learning. As stated in the Ontario Ministry of Education’s document Acting Today, Shaping Tomorrow, “It is a growing recognition that Education has a key role to play as it gives students the knowledge and capacity to take appropriate actions while countries around the world are facing complex environmental and social issues.” Students will have the opportunity to demonstrate environmental stewardship through collective actions.
Each lesson in Connecting With Nature contains a section of community and home activities. Join us by engaging in these activities and taking part in making more sustainable choices as a family. 17
Further reading
To learn more about the fundamental connections between people and nature, we recommend reading The Sacred Balance (Greystone, 2007). In the book, authors Dr. David Suzuki, Adrienne Mason, and Amanda McConnell explore many of the key ideas behind this educational resource and offer adult readers the seeds of a new direction in which we can rediscover our place in nature and live in balance with our surroundings.
You Are the Earth (Greystone, 2010) by David Suzuki and Kathy Vanderlinden, is a book for elementary school students. It’s based on the principles found within The Sacred Balance and through amazing scientific facts, fun activities, and ancient myths, shows how we are all connected to nature.
For more ideas on how you can integrate inquiry-based learning into your teaching, we recommend the resource Natural Curiosity. Developed by the Laboratory School at the Dr. Eric Jackman Institute of Child Study, this resource introduces the concept of environmental inquiry and provides strategies on how to further engage your students’ curiosity about the world around them. For more information, visit davidsuzuki.org/youthandnature/intro. 18
Class foundation
Creating a class foundation is an opportunity to encourage students to discover which environmental issues they feel passionately about and to inspire them to take ownership of their actions. This opportunity may lead students to collectively act on their concerns and passions through various forms of environmental stewardship both inside and beyond the classroom. Creating a class foundation will give students the opportunity to display their talents, develop new skills, and form new interests.
Instructions In establishing a class foundation, consider student leadership and development. It is important for teachers to give students the chance to develop the framework of their foundation. Students who are allowed to create their own definition of a foundation and to decide how to run it are more likely to actively participate in and connect with the initiative.
The following five steps can be implemented at your own pace. Adjust the timing to your students’ needs and responses.
I. Introducing a class foundation Reflect on Lesson C: Who Is David Suzuki? Also have students investigate and answer the following questions:
• What is a foundation? • Why is it important? • How / why would it be established?
This initial step can be completed individually or as a class. Classroom discussion is highly encouraged.
II. Determining students’ environmental interests / concerns Students’ interests will ultimately determine which issues the class foundation will concentrate and act on. Allow the foundation’s focus to develop organically. Depending on when you choose to establish your class foundation, students may have a broad range of knowledge of different topics or issues. The following are suggestions for how to establish the focus of the class foundation.
I. Hang an anchor chart in the classroom. • Have students contribute their ideas and environmental interests to the chart. • Each lesson includes a Reflection Question that prompts the class to think about what they have learned in relation to a class foundation project. The answers or ideas raised during that discussion can be added to the chart as you work through Connecting With Nature. 19
• Once students have put their ideas on paper in a visible area of the classroom, have them brainstorm questions they may have about certain issues. • Give students time to research specific issues and answer both their own and others’ questions about topics they find interesting. • Allow time for students to share their research with classmates, design experiments, and have classroom discussions on their findings. • Consider planning field trips or inviting guest speakers to learn more about these issues.
II. The research component is an essential process. If students do not discover on their own what issues they would like to learn more about, they will not be inspired to act.
III. Selecting the foundation’s focus and name It is important for students to narrow the focus of their foundation. Though they can have more than one issue or topic they feel passionately about as a group, for the purpose of productivity students should choose a single issue or activity to focus on.
In some cases, it will not be easy to determine what the class would like to focus on. If so, develop a system of voting and ensure that the students know that the results are the final decision.
Some of the issues students present could fall under the same umbrella. For instance, if one student feels passionately about water pollution and another about air pollution, the issues can be grouped together and labelled pollution. Look over the list of issues and topics that the students have identified and place them in categories accordingly.
To help students agree on their foundation’s focus, use the system of dot voting. This system gives each student three votes. They can distribute their votes evenly among topics or place all their votes on one topic they feel strongly about. The topic that receives the most votes is the topic they will concentrate on first.
Once the class has decided on the focus of the foundation, they can go through a similar process to create a foundation name that best reflects the class and the focus of their work.
IV. Signing up for roles and responsibilities • Provide students with a description of the different foundation roles (see Foundation Role Descriptions on page 21).
• Talk about the responsibilities each team might have.
• Post the sign-up sheet and allow students to choose which team interests them the most (see Foundation Role Sign-up Sheet on page 22).
• Encourage students to choose the teams in which they feel they could make the strongest contribution rather than following their friends. 20
V. Creating a school-wide campaign Now that the framework for your foundation has been set up, the next step is deciding how you will organize to make your project a reality. You may need to have different kinds of meetings, but the class will have to decide as a whole how they will organize their work. Each team will have a unique set of strategies and tasks to complete, and they will also have to coordinate their work into a single project. The teacher must decide how much class time will be devoted to the foundation project, and whether any of these meetings should take place outside class time. Students should also be encouraged to have their meetings or brainstorming sessions outside as much as possible. 21
Foundation role descriptions
Communications / outreach team: This team will work together to advertise the events your foundation will hold. The initial task will include writing a school announcement about the creation of the Class Foundation. This group makes other students and staff aware of the action your foundation is taking. These students may create morning announcements, give presentations to other classes, or write in the monthly school or classroom newsletter.
Finance / fundraising team: Your Class Foundation may or may not decide to include a fundraising component to their project. If you do, you will need to create a Finance / Fundraising Team. This team will brainstorm ideas and organize and implement fundraising events to support your initiatives (for example, purchase composters, create a vegetable garden, or purchase a fruit tree). They will design a fundraising request aimed at students, parents, and teachers that explains the foundation’s goal, how much it will cost, and when it will be achieved. This team is encouraged to work with the Creative Team, Communications Team, and Spirit Team to find ways of making sure that their intended audiences know about the fundraising events.
Creative team: This team is responsible for promoting the foundation and fundraising events through posters, skits, videos, photos, and social networking. They may also create a logo for the foundation and come up with a foundation rap, theme song, or chant.
Spirit team: This team will get the class and the school excited about why this project is important and why other students should be connected to this project. They will create team-building activities and celebrate milestones and accomplishments. They will also make sure that each team stays aligned with the overarching vision of the Class Foundation and of David Suzuki. This team will attract and organize volunteers to help make projects happen, ensuring that all volunteers are assigned roles during events.
Science / policy team: This team will research and investigate environmental facts, issues, and policies related to your Class Foundation project. They will help determine what actions need to be taken, what letters may need to be written, and who may be in positions of power to help the foundation achieve its goal. This team will keep the class updated on new environmental actions taking place locally, nationally, and globally.
Facilitator role: The teacher will act as facilitator and keep track of each team to ensure the Class Foundation is operating smoothly. The teacher will assess the needs of bringing the teams together for a foundation-wide meeting. It is recommended that these foundation-wide meetings take place outside of class time as much as possible. 22
Foundation role sign-up sheet
Please sign your name under the team you would like to work with.
Communications / outreach team
Finance / fundraising team
Creative team
Spirit team
Science / policy team A 23
Science, health and physical education, language Walkabout: What we do to nature, we do to ourselves
Time required What’s the point? 30–45 min + discussion In this lesson, students experience nature first-hand by What You Need spending time in their schoolyard or nearby park, and Dictionary definition of nature sharing with each other their observations, collections, and ideas about nature. Their discussions lead to an One letter-sized sheet of paper for understanding that we are a part of nature. Once we each student realize that everything is connected, and that nature is One wide-tip felt marker for all around us (even in the city), we begin to understand each student that we all have a role to play in ensuring that nature is Optional: mobile device protected and nurtured. camera phones Optional: nature items collected Guiding question from the walkabout What does the word “nature” mean to you and how are you connected to it? Resources Appendix A1: Mind map template Suggested strategies for assessment Assess students using the Learning Skills Checklist (see the Assessment Appendix, p. 145).
Assess student ideas using the Anecdotal Notes Organizer (see the Assessment Appendix, p. 171) and the observation question.
Hook Read the book The Lorax by Dr. Seuss. What is the author saying about nature? How did the author make these ideas easy to understand? 24 Connecting with Nature Walkabout
What you do Part A: Outdoors Note: The activity can be completed rain or shine.
1. Supply each student with a writing tool and paper. (Alternatively, they can use mobile Teacher Tip device camera phones.) Plan ahead and Remind students the day before take students to the schoolyard or nearby to dress appropriately for the park and draw attention to a cool tree, small outdoor activity. stream, or a great natural space. Express joy and interest toward it. Tell students why it is your favourite natural spot / place / tree, modelling what they will do in their walkabout.
2. Send students on an individual walkabout (not in groups) around the schoolyard or nearby park to observe nature around them. Ask them to think about what they see, hear, smell, and touch.
3. Ask students to focus on one observation and record it on paper or on their mobile device. They can use words or pictures. Observations should respond to the question “What is nature?”
4. Circulate and share pictures, words, and / or photos with each other.
5. Observe differences and similarities.
6. Debrief using Reflection Questions: Part A.
Optional: Collect “nature items” during the walkabout and bring them to a large area (outdoors or indoors) where the students can create a collage of their experiences.
Part B: Classroom 1. Use the opposite side of the paper used in the outdoor activity and ask students, using only one word, to answer the question “What is nature?” Their answers may be derived from the walkabout observations or from the nature collections.
2. Have the students print their one word large enough to fill the page. Students using mobile phones may type the word on their device.
3. Instruct the students to stand holding their papers in front of them so others can read them.
4. Have everyone circulate around the room for a minute or two, silently looking at the other students’ ideas. Younger students can circulate sharing their word orally.
5. Signal for students to stop and find the nearest person to form pairs. Connecting with Nature 25 Walkabout
6. Ask the pairs to spend one minute explaining their word and their We humans are but one of thirty reasons for choosing it to million species weaving the their partner. thin layer of life enveloping the world…Linked in that web, we are 7. Have everyone circulate again and interconnected — using, cleansing, ask students with similar words to sharing and replenishing the stand together in groupings. fundamental elements of life. 8. Observe the different nature — Excerpt from the Declaration groupings. Create a list of of Interdependence, observations on a mural / wall David Suzuki Foundation display so students can refer back to it. (You may use Appendix A1: Mind Map Template.) Refer back to this list as students learn more about nature, and use it to develop the class foundation described in Lesson C.
9. Debrief using Reflection Questions: Part B.
Reflection questions Part A: Outdoor • What did you see, feel, smell and touch? Do you feel differently when you are outside instead of inside? How?
• What kinds of nature did you see on your walk?
• What was missing? What would make your schoolyard more natural?
• Why is nature important?
• What is our connection to nature? How are we connected to nature?
• Nature collage: What do you notice about the collage? Can the objects be sorted into groupings? Do the items connect to each other? How?
Part B: Classroom • What kinds of groups did you make?
• How were they different from each other? How were they similar?
• How are the groups connected to each other?
• How do the ideas of the class compare to a dictionary definition of nature?
• Are any ideas about nature more right than others? Explain.
• How do we affect nature and vice versa?
• What does it mean to live within the limits of nature? What does the term sustainable living mean? 26 Connecting with Nature Walkabout
Taking it further Smart Board • Create a collage or poster board based on Part A. Save the file and expand on it as you learn more through the lessons in Connecting With Nature.
Camera / mobile device • Encourage the use of mobile devices to record images when the students are outdoors.
Community / home engagement activities • Encourage students to invite their families to go on nature walks.
Optional class activities • Make your schoolyard a more natural space to Connect With Nature. Create a vegetable garden, make some birdhouses, or add more trees, mulch, rocks, and bushes. Get started today by going to davidsuzuki.org/youthandnature/a.
• Create a class poster mural with your nature observations. Have students contribute “nature items” found on their walkabouts to a class collage. Collect student photos to create a bulletin board or an electronic slideshow. Keep all of the ideas the students come up with so they can be referred back to. Leave room to expand as you move through the lessons and learn more about nature and what we can do to nurture a healthy relationship with it.
• Ask students to create a journal response to the question “What is nature?” Encourage them to include their past experiences. Connecting with Nature 27 Appendix A1 Walkabout
Mind map
What is nature? 28 B
Science, health and physical education, language, arts Barnyard in my classroom: Exploring our connection to nature
Time required What’s the point? 50–60 min + discussion In this lesson, students gain an understanding that many of the what you need things they use in their everyday lives come from nature. Their David Suzuki’s There’s A Barnyard discussion leads to an appreciation that we are dependent on In My Bedroom (Greystone nature and what we do to nature, we do to ourselves. Once we Books, 2008) realize everything is connected, we can see that what we do every A large ball of yarn day affects not only animals and plants, but ultimately ourselves. Guiding question
What relationships do humans have with nature?
Suggested strategies for assessment Assess students using the Anecdotal Notes Organizer (see the Assessment Appendix, p. 171) and the observation question.
Observation question: Do students understand how everything his connected in the sense that what we do to nature we do to ourselves?
Choose an Optional Class Activity and assess students using a tool from the Assessment Appendix.
Hook Read There’s a Barnyard in my Bedroom — A Rainy Day Hike (pp. 1–17) in class. Discuss Question 1 on p. 56. Answers are on p. 58. Connecting with Nature 29 Barnyard in my classroom
What you do Part A: Outdoors 1. Have students walk around the schoolyard or a park. Instruct them to pick up an object from nature (for example, a stick, leaf, or rock) and then discuss how their objects are connected to each other and to the things in their daily lives.
2. Play a game to reinforce the interconnectedness of nature. Have everyone form a circle and assign each student a different aspect of nature (for example, air, water, sun, earth, tree, animal, or humans). Toss around a ball of yarn to make a web, highlighting connections (for example, the animal breathes the air; the air is filtered by the tree, the tree shades the human, and so on). Continue until every student is connected.
Part B: Classroom 1. In groups, have students make a list of as many classroom objects as possible and identify which natural resources were used to make each object.
2. Optional: for older students, incorporate a competitive element into the activity — the group with the most objects or most diverse list of natural resources wins. Students can also specify if the resource is renewable or non-renewable.
3. Ask students to draw their classroom (in groups or in one large mural if they have a large enough piece of paper), using the same concept as in the book (a tree is made into a table and so on).
4. Use the Reflection Questions to assess student understanding.
Reflection questions • What did you learn about the things you found outside in nature and the things you found in your classroom?
• What would be different in your classroom or house if things in nature were no longer available?
• Can you think of things in your classroom that can be recycled, reused, or returned to nature? What things can’t? What happens to them?
• Why is it important to understand that everything comes from nature? 30 Connecting with Nature Barnyard in my classroom
Taking it further Community / home engagement activities As a family, discuss how items in homes are connected to nature. Which natural resources were used to make these products?
Optional class activities • Have students write a haiku poem about their connections to nature. (For assessment, use the Achievement Chart on p. 165.)
• Ask your students to draw a picture or create a chart that explores what the following quote is telling us. Is there a possibility of a problem? (For assessment, use the Achievement Chart on p. 165.)
“One hundred trout are needed to support one man for a year. The trout, in turn, must consume 90,000 frogs, that must consume 27 million grasshoppers that live off of 1,000 tons of grass.” — G. Tyler Miller Jr., author and environmentalist
Additional resources and websites • Read David Suzuki and Kathy Vanderlinden’s You Are the Earth (Greystone, 2010).
• See davidsuzuki.org/youthandnature/b to learn more about our connection to nature. C 31
Science, health and physical education, language, Who is David Suzuki? social science Inspiration for action
Time required Guiding question 60 min + discussion Why has David Suzuki inspired so many Canadians to work What You Need together to protect nature? Paper for note taking What’s the point? Resources In this lesson, students learn about David Suzuki and Appendix C1: Who is his organization, the David Suzuki Foundation. Students David Suzuki? connect their own experiences with nature to David Appendix C2: The David Suzuki’s motivations and goals. At the end of the lesson, Suzuki Foundation the class is introduced to the idea of creating their own Class Foundation, a foundation that may be started during or after completing Connecting With Nature.
Suggested strategies for assessment Assess student participation using the Learning Skills Checklist (see the Assessment Appendix, p. 145).
Hook To introduce David Suzuki and his passion for nature, show students the trailer for Force of Nature: The David Suzuki Movie.
View the trailer at davidsuzuki.org/youthandnature/c. 32 Connecting with Nature Who is David Suzuki?
What you do Part A: Classroom 1. With your class, read over Appendix C1: Who Is David Suzuki? As a scientist, broadcaster, and environmentalist, David Suzuki has inspired many Canadians to take action to protect nature. Ask students to conduct research on one aspect of his life they are curious about (for example, his early life, his life as a scientist, or his work as a broadcaster) and to find out more about the David Suzuki Foundation.
2. Discuss what they learned through their research. Encourage students to share what they learned about why David Suzuki created the foundation.
3. Show students the David Suzuki Foundation’s Declaration of Interdependence video to help them understand why David Suzuki created a foundation. This video demonstrates the importance of environmental stewardship. View the video at davidsuzuki.org/youthandnature/c.
4. Discuss what a foundation is and the purpose of creating a foundation. For background information, see Appendix C2: The David Suzuki Foundation.
Part B: Outdoors 1. Take students outside and sit under a tree.
2. As a class, discuss how a group can be more effective than an individual.
3. Introduce the idea of creating a Class Foundation as the students work through Connecting With Nature or after you have completed it. (The Class Foundation is explained on p. 18.)
4. Debrief using the Reflection Questions.
Reflection questions • What do you find interesting about David Suzuki’s life?
• Why do you think he has inspired so many people?
• David Suzuki says that spending time in a swamp as a teenager inspired him to become a scientist. How did your outdoor experience in the Walkabout lesson inspire you? What moments outdoors were meaningful to you?
• How can you connect your experience with nature in the Walkabout lesson to what you have learned about the David Suzuki Foundation?
• Have you, or anyone you know, ever taken some personal action that made a difference? Did it inspire others to take action as well? Connecting with Nature 33 Who is David Suzuki?
• What information on the David Suzuki Foundation website did you find meaningful or inspiring?
• How can a group of people, like a foundation, accomplish more than one person?
Taking it further Computer lab / LCD projector / smartboard • Use the Internet to review the David Suzuki website.
Community / home engagement activities • If your class decides to set up its own Teacher Tip foundation, encourage families to support and Ensure the library / computer become involved in the class initiatives. lab is booked for this lesson.
• Encourage families to sign the Declaration of Interdependence on the Foundation website.
Optional class activities • Using sidewalk chalk, have students create a mural that incorporates their goals for protecting and connecting with nature.
• Encourage students to bring to class images or articles they found of individuals or celebrities who are making a difference to nature. For example, read about people who are making a difference to nature in the book The Sacred Balance by David Suzuki with Amanda McConnell and Adrienne Mason (Greystone Books, 2007). Choose one story and share it with others.
Additional resources and websites See davidsuzuki.org/youthandnature/c to learn more about how to take action for nature. 34 Connecting with Nature Who is David Suzuki? Appendix C1
Who is David Suzuki?
David Takayoshi Suzuki was born in help the environment. So David and his wife Vancouver, BC on March 24th, 1936. Tara Cullis, a professor at Harvard University, His grandparents had come to Canada created the David Suzuki Foundation, an from Japan in the early 1900s, making organization dedicated to finding solutions him a third generation Canadian. for environmental problems.
But the fact that David was born in Canada They began by focusing on projects in other meant sadly little when Canada went to countries, such as protecting indigenous war against Japan in 1941. The Canadian people in Colombia and salmon in Japan. government insisted that people of Japanese When environmentalists from all over the descent — even those born in Canada — be world gathered in Brazil for the Rio Earth shipped off to internment camps, ghost towns Summit in 1992, they created the Declaration in the Rockies, and plantations. David and his of Interdependence, to remind everyone that family were sent to a camp in interior BC. we are one with the Earth.
After the war, the Japanese were freed, Today, the David Suzuki Foundation focuses and the Suzukis moved east to Ontario. In on protecting oceans, freshwater, and Leamington, they were the only non-white terrestrial wildlife in Canada, and finding family in the neighbourhood. Life was lonely climate change solutions. for David, and he began spending hours Now his seventies, David still volunteers exploring the swamp near his home. He for the foundation he created in Vancouver. now recalls this swamp as his inspiration to When he’s not in the office, he’s usually protect nature. sharing this knowledge through speaking After high school, David studied zoology and presentations, recording episodes of The genetics in university. He earned his PhD Nature of Things, and spending precious time and became a professor at the University of with his children and grandchildren. British Columbia, where he ended up teaching
for 40 years. His teaching skills transferred
well to tv and radio, and he hosted his first
tv show for kids (called Suzuki on Science)
in 1970. In 1979, he began hosting a popular
CBC science show called The Nature of Things,
which he still hosts today.
Then, in 1989, David had a new idea. His radio series, It’s a Matter of Survival, had called people’s attention to the serious state of the planet, and thousands of listeners were David Suzuki is one of our biggest volunteers writing to him, asking what they could do to Connecting with Nature 35 Appendix C2 Who is David Suzuki?
The David Suzuki Foundation
Transforming the economy — make certain that Canadians can maintain a high quality
of life within the finite limits of nature through efficient resource use.
Protecting nature — work to protect the About us diversity and health of Canada’s marine, freshwater, and terrestrial creatures Over 60 staff in offices across Canada work and ecosystems. to help further the foundation’s goals. We work with government, business, and Reconnecting with nature — ensure that individuals to conserve our environment Canadians, especially youth, learn about by providing science-based education, their dependence on a healthy environment advocacy, and policy work, and act as a through outdoor education. catalyst for the social change that today’s Building community — engage Canadians situation demands. to live healthier, more fulfilled, and just Our mission and vision lives with tips on building Earth-friendly infrastructure, making smart energy choices, Our mission is to protect the diversity of using efficient transportation, and being nature and our quality of life, now and for mindful of the products, food, and water the future. we use. Our vision is that within a generation, Visit of davidsuzuki.org/about for Canadians act on the understanding that we more information. are all interconnected and interdependent with nature.
Our top goals Protecting our climate — ensure that Canada is doing its fair share to avoid dangerous climate change and is on track to achieve a safe level of greenhouse gas emissions. 36 D
Science, health and physical education, language Living within the limits of nature: Needs versus wants
Time required Guiding question 120 min + discussion What happens to nature if you always pursue your wants and never What you need consider living within your needs? Felt markers What’s the point? Chart paper In this lesson, students pack a backpack in preparation for a nature Tape hike. As the hike progresses, students are asked to sort through Appendix D2: Needs and wants what they packed to determine what they really needed for the (for each group) hike and what they didn’t. They will begin to see the impact of Appendix D3: Change of plans consumerism and that the desire for things we don’t really need is (for each group) driving us to live beyond the limits of nature. Only when we stop and think about what we are buying and using, and the impact it has Resources on the Earth, can we make the conscious effort to live sustainably. Appendix D1: Living within the limits of nature Suggested strategies for assessment Appendix D2: Needs and wants Assess students during group work using the Learning Skills Appendix D3: Change of plans Checklist (see the Assessment Appendix, p. 145).
Appendix D4: Two world visions Evaluate student answers on the handouts provided using the Achievement Chart (see the Assessment Appendix, p. 165).
Have students reflect on the activity and further explain their choices and the importance of choosing needs over wants by completing a Self-Assessment (see the Assessment Appendix, p. 165). Choose an Optional Class Activity and assess students using a tool from the Assessment Appendix. Hook Read the book The Rag Coat by Lauren Mills (Little, Brown, 1991). Before you start reading, ask the students to look out for how people in the story have lives different or similar from their own. Afterwards, discuss needs and wants in different places in the world and in different cultures. Connecting with Nature 37 Living within the limits of nature
What you do Teacher Tip Part A: Outdoors In this activity, students share their 1. Tell students they are going on ideas about needs and wants. Try an outdoor hike and need to pack holding an object (such as a ball) that a bag with things they think they symbolizes your capacity to speak while will need. Warm weather is not others listen. The students can take necessary as cold weather may turns holding the object and sharing help students focus on bringing their opinions. A student holding the what they actually need. object has the right to say “pass” if he or she does not wish to speak. 2. Halfway through or at the end of the hike, break into groups and compare what they packed. Have students sort the objects into two piles: what they needed and what they wanted.
3. Ask the students to analyze their needs and wants on this hike. Take it a step further and look at their needs and wants at the grocery store or the mall. Discuss how their desire for things they don’t need affects nature. Continue this discussion during the hike.
4. Debrief using Reflection Questions in Part A.
Part B: Classroom 1. With your class, go over Appendix D1: Living Within the Limits of Nature. Ask them to consider this information as they work on the next activity.
2. Divide the class into small groups.
3. Give each group a copy of the student pages. Make sure that the groups complete Appendix D2: Needs and Wants before starting Appendix D3: Change of Plans.
4. Have groups display their lists on the wall and compare their lists with those of other groups.
5. Read the quotation on Appendix D4 aloud. Ask students to draw the diagrams David Suzuki describes and help them understand that the economy, as a human construct, is contained within the biosphere.
6. Discuss using Reflection Questions Part B. 38 Connecting with Nature Living within the limits of nature
Reflection questions Part A: Outdoors • What is the difference between a need and a want?
• How many of the things you packed did you actually need for the hike? What did you need that you didn’t pack? Why did you pack some of the things you didn’t need?
• How did your hike help you learn about needs and wants?
• When you go on you next hike, how will you pack differently? Why?
Part B: Classroom • What did your group agree on easily? What was harder to agree on?
• How did it feel to be limited to a set number of things to bring along?
• How did you decide if something was a need or a want?
• “Human beings do not live by bread alone.” Once we have enough food and water and air to survive, what are some of our other needs?
• Are the following needs or wants? Love, friends, laughter, spirituality, community, learning, imagination, dance, song, play, and curiosity.
• What happens when our want list gets really big?
• Why is it important to understand the difference between a want and a need when we consider the fact that nature has limits?
• Think of three things that human beings sometimes want that are hard on the natural world. Why do you think humans continue to want them?
• When you look at your home and possessions, do you see things that are wants? Or things that are needs? Discuss what you think with your family.
• How can you apply some of these ideas to your Class Foundation project?
Taking it further Smart Notebook • Using a Smart Notebook, create a categorizing activity where students can sort objects into needs and wants.
Community / Home engagement activities • Have students and their families decide to give up one of their “wants” that has a high impact on the environment for one week (or month) and have the students and family journal about it. At the end of the exercise, they can decide if their “want” is really something they need, or if they are willing to give it up to help the environment. Connecting with Nature 39 Living within the limits of nature
Optional class activities • Have Skype presentations with a park ranger. Show the park ranger the list of needs and wants from the class. Ask for his or her opinion. Compile a list of questions before the meeting. Topics may include: What do campers often bring with them onto the campsites? What gets left behind? Which equipment is necessary and which equipment is unnecessary?
• Split the class into groups and assign each group a country, era, or cultural group (for example, medieval times). Ask the students to conduct research using supplementary materials (computers, encyclopedias, and so on) to come up with needs and wants of their chosen country, era, or cultural group. Then bring the class together as a large group. Collect student feedback on the assignment. Then discuss what it means when basic human needs are not met and how basic human needs relate to human rights. (For assessment, use the Achievement Chart on p. 165.)
• Ask each student to pick an animal and compare the animal’s needs to his or her own needs. Using chart paper, draw two large circles that intersect in the middle. The animal and student each get seven needs. Place the needs in the circles where they belong. Which ones intersect? Which ones belong just to the animal and which ones belong just to the student? How does respecting the needs of other parts of nature play an important part in living in balance?
Additional resources and websites See davidsuzuki.org/youthandnature/d to learn more about living within the limits of nature. 40 Connecting with Nature Living within the limits of nature Appendix D1 ( 1 of 2 )
Living within the limits of nature
How does nature keep us alive? has consequences because everything is connected. If, for example, we pour toxins All life exists in the biosphere, the zone into air, water, or soil, those same toxins may of air, water, and land that surrounds the end up in us. planet. As biological creatures, humans depend on clean air, clean water, clean soil, Our home is that thin layer of varnish on a and clean energy as well as on a variety of basketball. And that’s it. It can’t grow and plants and animals (called biodiversity) for get bigger to accommodate our increasing our well-being and survival. population and our desire for more goods and services. We often think of the atmosphere as extending far out into space when, in fact, it is only about 10 kilometres thick. The 11 miles atmosphere biosphere, astronomer Carl Sagan used to say, is as thick as a layer of varnish painted on a basketball. That is where all life flourishes. Beyond it, there is only space. 1.4 miles upper crust
Nature provides all kinds of services
without which life on this planet could not
exist. For example, nature creates topsoil,
the thin skin that supports all agriculture. biosphere = 12.4 miles Nature removes carbon dioxide from the
atmosphere and returns oxygen. Nature
takes nitrogen from the air and fixes it
to enrich soil. Nature filters water as it
percolates through soil. Nature transforms
sunlight into molecules that we need for diametre = 7926 miles energy in our bodies. Nature degrades the
carcasses of dead plants and animals and
incorporates them back into the biosphere,
replenishing and fertilizing soil. Nature
pollinates flowering plants that help create
the food we eat.
Nature has limits All life exists in the zone of air, water, and land that Humans have become so numerous and surrounds the planet. powerful that we are now altering the balance of the biosphere. Everything we do Connecting with Nature 41 Appendix D2 ( 2 of 2 ) Living within the limits of nature
Living within the limits of nature
We know how much carbon dioxide can The next time you buy a new shirt or ask be reabsorbed by all the green things in for a new electronic gadget, you need to the oceans and on land, and we know we ask yourself what natural materials and are going beyond those limits. That’s why resources were used to create it. Where was carbon is building up in the atmosphere. it made? Do you really need what you want? This change in the atmosphere is leading to As long as the economy is considered more changes in our oceans and lands and their important than nature, we will never work ability to sustain us. This change is the basis our way out of the problems we’ve created. for climate change.
Nature, the global economy, and you We live in a “global economy” where we buy and sell goods and services from anywhere in the world on a daily basis (food, clothing, electronic gadgets, cars, and so on). The economy is measured as successful if it continues to grow as people buy and sell more and more things. As a result, we often end up buying things we don’t need because we are pressured to get rid of old things and buy new things to keep the economy growing.
This consumption is a problem for nature. That’s because our economic system is built on the limited resources and materials we find in the biosphere. Then, we dump Do you really need more clothes? our waste back into the land, air, and water that we need to keep the planet a safe and comfortable place to live. We don’t take into account the limits of nature when we decide to manufacture more and more goods, and so we go beyond those limits. The global economy also makes it harder for us to understand where our goods come from and how they are all interconnected with nature. 42 Connecting with Nature Living within the limits of nature Appendix D2
Needs and wants
What you do Your group is going on a camping trip.
1. Make a list on chart paper with your group of what you will take with you for three days.
2. Choose one item from your list that you think every group will have on their list. Put a star beside it.
3. Choose one item from your list that you think some of the other groups may have forgotten to list.
4. Display your list on the wall.
5. Compare your list with other group lists.
6. Read the Change of Plans on the next page and complete the activity again. What would you bring on a camping trip? Connecting with Nature 43 Appendix D3 Living within the limits of nature
Change of plans
1. How would this list be different if you had to carry everything 5 km to your campsite?
2. With your answers from question 1 in mind, list the things that you would take instead.
Questions 1. Did you all agree on the items to take? If not, why?
2. How did you separate your needs from the wants? 44 Connecting with Nature Living within the limits of nature Appendix D4
Two world visions
“We often describe the triple bottom line — society, economy, and environment — as three intersecting circles of equal size. This is nonsense. The reality environment economy is that the largest circle should represent the biosphere. Within that, we have 30 million species, including us, that depend on it. Within the biosphere circle should be a society much smaller circle, which is human society, and within that should be an even smaller circle, the economy. Neither of the inner circles should grow large enough to intersect with the bigger ones, but that’s what’s The “triple bottom line” vision of the world. happening now as human societies and the economy hit their limits.”
— David Suzuki, Science Matters
biosphere
human society economy
A world vision to help us live within nature’s limits. E 45
Math, science, health and physical education, language, Classroom landfill: social science Breaking down pollution
Time required Guiding question 45 min + 2–3 months for What effect does all the garbage and waste we create have the experiment on nature? What You Need What’s the point? Images of different types of pollution In this lesson, students learn that waste is a natural by- Gloves (for each student) product of life and nature; however, too much unnecessary waste, especially waste that is not biodegradable, creates Samples of garbage & serious pollution issues on land, in water, and in air. When leftover food we pollute our environment, we pollute ourselves. Students Garbage bags (one for every four create a mini-landfill to discover what happens to the or five students) different kinds of waste and how waste helps or hurts nature. A clear plastic bin & soil to fill it Popsicle sticks and markers Suggested strategies for assessment Blank scrap paper & chart paper Assess students using the Learning Skills Checklist (see the Assessment Appendix, p. 145). Plastic wrap (or a lid for container) Appendix E3: What’s happening in Hook the landfill? (For each student) Create a sign that reads “landfill” and tape it above the Resources garbage can in the classroom. Discuss how garbage will be taken to a landfill site and sit there for years to come. Appendix E1: Rethinking our approach to nature This discussion reinforces the idea that some of our waste is never really gone, even when we throw it away. Refer to Appendix E2: Images of waste the lesson plan quotation about the effects garbage has and pollution on nature. Appendix E3: What’s happening in the landfill? 46 Connecting with Nature Classroom landfill
What you do Part A: Outdoors 1. Take students outside for a five-minute garbage collection walk around the school.
Part B: Classroom 1. Bring the bags of garbage back into the classroom and place them where students can see them.
2. Show students Appendix E2: Images of Pollution, and discuss the effects of pollution on the land, water, and air.
3. Write the word “pollution” in the middle of a board and put a circle around it. Create a web diagram by asking the class to brainstorm words that describe “pollution,” and drawing lines connecting the various ideas.
4. Explain to the class that today they are going to begin an experiment by creating a landfill. Emphasize that waste is a natural by-product of life and that nature needs organic waste to keep the cycle of life going. Unfortunately, we also have a lot of unnecessary garbage that is not organic and doesn’t easily break down. That garbage can pollute our soils and our water. Ask the class:
• What happens to our waste? • Where does it go? • When we throw away garbage, does it really go “away?”
Landfill experiment 1. Wearing plastic gloves, fill the clear plastic bin half-full with soil. Teacher Tip 2. Take six to eight samples from the playground cleanup and bury This experiment will take two to three months. Ensure you leave enough them about 15 cm (6 inches) deep time throughout the year to complete in soil. Make sure that you include the activity. Partway through the a few biodegradable items (for experiment, vermicompost worms or example, apple cores and banana various bugs could be added to the peels). Place the samples near the landfill to speed up decomposition. side of the bin so that students can observe them from outside the bin. Mark each spot with a labelled Popsicle stick.
3. Put the container in a warm, sunny place and water it lightly (or place it outside on a rainy day for a short time). Keep the soil moist but not soaked. Cover the landfill with plastic wrap or a lid. Connecting with Nature 47 Classroom landfill
4. Carefully check your samples every week or so. You may dig them up Did you know? but wear plastic gloves. You can When people throw out food, all the use a magnifying glass to inspect resources to grow, ship, and produce the samples. Notice how the landfill it get chucked too, including massive smells when you take the plastic wrap volumes of water. In the U.S. alone, or lid off the top. Keep checking for the amount of water loss from food two to three months. waste is like leaving the tap running and pouring 40 trillion litres of water 5. As a class, keep a record of ongoing down the drain. observations using Appendix E3: What’s Happening in the Landfill?
6. Discuss using Reflection Questions.
Reflection questions • How did the garbage collection make you feel about waste and pollution?
• How much of the garbage could have been reused or recycled?
• Which items in our classroom landfill do you predict will break down quickly?
• Which items do you predict will take a long time to break down?
• Are there some items that look as if they’ll never break down?
• Imagine this experiment on a much larger scale. Do you think the Earth can handle all of this garbage?
• How do landfills affect air? How do they affect water?
• What can we do to reduce the amount of garbage we create in order to help nature?
• How can you apply some of these ideas to your Class Foundation project?
After two to three months, ask the class: • Are there any results you found surprising in this experiment?
• What is the difference between a landfill and a composter?
• What are the advantages of recycling, reusing, and composting?
• What does this experiment tell us about the way nature works? 48 Connecting with Nature Classroom landfill
Taking it further Smart Board / LCD / overhead projector • Display images of the three types of pollution (land, water, and air).
• Create a web diagram with words to describe “pollution.”
Mobile device • To record the changes in the landfill, have students take pictures of the landfill over the two to three months. Post the pictures in the classroom or create a slide show to illustrate the changes in decomposition.
Community / home engagement activities • Encourage students to participate in community cleanups.
• Challenge families to reduce their waste by doing a “waste audit” in their homes. For example, they could separate out the kinds of garbage they throw away and come up ways to create less waste by recycling electronics, composting organic waste, and purchasing biodegradable products.
Optional class activities • Visit a local garbage dump, water treatment plant, or recycling plant so students can witness the scale of the problem in your community and the technologies that have been created to help it.
• Challenge students to bring litterless lunches to school and encourage the school to use a composter. Have students collect organic waste for composting after every lunch period.
• Do a waste audit for your school. See davidsuzuki.org/youthandnature/e to download instructions.
• After two to three months, try to grow seeds in the class landfill. Discuss how the quality of the soil in the landfill may be affecting seed germination.
Additional resources and websites Visit davidsuzuki.org/youthandnature/e to learn more about waste and pollution. Connecting with Nature 49 Appendix E1 ( 1 of 2 ) Classroom landfill
Rethinking our approach to nature
The world is a complex interaction of air, We need to do more than recycle water, land and living things that are all Most urban Canadians dutifully put their interconnected and interdependent. When paper, plastic, bottles, and cans into recycling we pollute the air, water, and land, we are bins. And that’s great — good recycling polluting ourselves. programs reduce our need for landfills. But Too much stuff ultimately, we want to cut down on all our waste, even the kind that can be recycled. One of the most important functions of nature is to take organic waste and break it down to create fertile soil for new plants to grow. Bacteria, fungi, and worms break down or “biodegrade” organic material like dead plants and animals, to create healthy new soil.
But humans are producing too much garbage. Much of the waste we produce now is not organic and does not easily break down. Materials that are not found in nature, such as plastics and glass, will never biodegrade. A pop can tossed on the ground will take 300 years to be crushed and worn away by rocks; a glass bottle will take a million years. The waste produced is polluting our planet by leaching into our soil Recycling helps to reduce waste that usually ends up and water through the release of methane in landfill. gas, a major contributor to climate change.
Adapted from Eco-Fun by David Suzuki and Kathy Vanderlinden (Greystone Books, 2001) 50 Connecting with Nature Classroom landfill Appendix E1 ( 2 of 2 )
Rethinking our approach to garbage
Landfills make greenhouse gases Reduce! It’s the best thing to do Beyond the waste problem itself, landfills The most important thing we can do to help produce about one-fifth of Canada’s nature is reduce the amount of garbage and methane emissions — and methane is a pollution we produce in the first place. Not greenhouse gas more potent than carbon only does that mean sending less waste dioxide. Landfills are a significant source of to the landfill, it also means using fewer greenhouse gas emissions. They also create resources and less energy, because it takes odours that can affect the quality of the air energy to produce and transport packaging we breathe. and disposable items.
Every day, more people, stores, companies, and cities are finding ways to cut down on disposable plastic bags, but we still create a lot of unnecessary packaging and products. Planned obsolescence — producing goods that won’t last so that people have to buy more — is still reality. We can all avoid buying products that are over-packaged or “disposable,” and encourage producers to be more responsible. When something breaks, we can also take greater responsibility by fixing it rather simply throwing it out and buying a new one. When we take the time to let stores, businesses, and governments know that we want less packaging and goods that last, we will make a difference. Our changing attitude about plastic bags is a Eat local fruit to help reduce transport emissions. perfect example.
Some cities are now capturing methane to burn for energy rather than allowing it to escape into the atmosphere. This process can also help reduce the amount of energy we have to find from non-renewable sources. Connecting with Nature 51 Appendix E2 Classroom landfill
Images of waste and pollution
52 Connecting with Nature Classroom landfill Appendix E3
What’s happening in the landfill?
1. Make notes about the items in our classroom landfill.
Here are some good questions to think about:
• Which items look like they are breaking down quickly? • Which items look like they will take a long time to break down? • Are there some things that look as if they’ll never break down? • Can you see bugs working in the garbage to break it down?
Date What does it look like? What does it smell like? Other observations F 53 Language arts, outdoors art The powerful pollinators: Wonders of the natural world
Time required Guiding question 65 min + discussion What are pollinators and how do we depend on them?
What You Need What’s the point? Appendix F1 (for each student) In this lesson, students discover how we depend on Appendix F2 (for each student) pollinators to produce 75 per cent of the food we eat. Appendix F3 (overhead projector Unfortunately, pollinator populations are decreasing to display) rapidly, mainly due to habitat loss. Students learn about Books, articles, or Internet access actions they can take to protect pollinators and are asked to create bee baths at home. Resources Appendix F1: What’s the buzz? Suggested strategies for assessment Appendix F2: Pollinators fact sheet Assess students’ Appendix F2: Pollinators Fact Sheet Appendix F3: How we depend using the Achievement Chart (see the Assessment on pollinators Appendix, p. 165) and the Arts Rubric (see the Assessment Appendix, p. 167).
Hook Bring in an array of foods that pollinators help to produce (for example, honey, apple, chocolate, mustard, coffee, and canola oil). Ask students to identify what these items have in common. Hint: Who is responsible for naturally making all of these foods? 54 Connecting with Nature The powerful pollinators
What you do Part A: Outdoors 1. Take your class outside to search for pollinators and the foods they like to eat. Ask your students these questions: What are pollinators? Why are they important in nature? How do we depend on them?
2. Ask the students to think of a pollinator they would like to be. Have them silently mimic and act like their pollinator. Then, look around and try to find other students who are acting like their pollinator.
Ask the students to form groups with similar pollinators. Once all the students have found a group, they can see if they are all the same pollinator and discuss why they chose that particular one, what role they play in the food cycle, and how they are different from other pollinators.
Part B: Classroom 1. Distribute copies of Appendix F1: What’s the Buzz? and Appendix F2: Pollinators Fact Sheet to each student. Students fill out the sheet using independent research. Allow approximately 20 to 25 minutes to answer the seven questions in the Pollinators Fact Sheet. Then gather the students and share their answers. Allow them to fill in any information they may have missed.
2. Review Appendix F1: What’s the Buzz? Ask students to continue to add information to their Pollinators Fact Sheet. To further assist students with their research, show the video David Suzuki’s Queen of Green: Bees, Baths, and Beyond listed in additional resources and websites.
3. On an overhead or Smart Board, display Appendix F3: How We Depend on Pollinators. Ask students to consider all the things pollinators do for us. Have them identify and consider which elements of everyday life depend on pollinators.
4. Discuss using Reflection Questions below.
Reflection questions • How did observing weeds, flowers, pollen, insects, and animals affect your understanding of the importance of pollinators?
• How would everyday life be different if we didn’t have pollinators?
• How does your knowledge of pollinators contribute to your understanding of the importance of living within the limits of nature?
• How can you apply some of these ideas to your Class Foundation project? Connecting with Nature 55 The powerful pollinators
Taking it further Smart Board • Create a sorting activity using Smart Technology. Include images or names of bugs that students would find in the garden. Have students sort the bugs according to whether they are pollinators or not.
Community / home engagement activities • Invite a local beekeeper to your class to talk about pollinators and the important role they play in your community.
• Create a bee bath in the family garden. Go to davidsuzuki.org/youthandnature/f for more details.
• Make bee-friendly gardens using native flowers. Choose a variety of plants that flower at different times so there’s always a snack available for bees. (Native plants attract native bees and exotic plants attract honeybees.) Here are some points to keep in mind:
• Bees eat two things: nectar (which is loaded with sugar and is their main source of energy) and pollen (which provides proteins and fats).
• Flowers bred to please the human eye (for things like size and complexity) are sometimes sterile and of little use to pollinators. Native plants or heirloom varieties are best.
• Bees have good colour vision. That’s why flowers are so showy! Bees especially like blue, purple, violet, white, and yellow. To help the bees find the flower, plant flowers of a single species in clumps about four feet in diameter instead of in scatterings.
• Bee species all have different tongue lengths. This diversity is an adaptation to different flowers, so a variety of flower shapes will benefit a diversity of bees.
• The following plants, organized by when they bloom, are just a few of the species native to Canada that attract bees:
• Early bloomers: blueberry, cotoneaster, crabapple, cranberry, crocus, foxglove, heliotrope, hazelnut, heather, primrose, willow
• Mid-season bloomers: blackberry, cat mint, catnip, chives, dahlia, hyssop, lavender, raspberry, sunflower, yarrow
• Late bloomers: aster (perennial), beggar’s tricks, borage, coneflower, cornflower, cosmos, goldenrod, pumpkin, sedum, squash 56 Connecting with Nature The powerful pollinators
Optional class activities • To show the beauty and wonder of pollinators, watch the TED talk video of Louis Schwartzberg, which includes clips from his film Wings of Life, atdavidsuzuki.org/ youthandnature/f.
• Take a trip to a grocery store. Imagine what the store would look like in a world without pollinators. Which products would remain? Would there still be a way to eat a balanced diet and remain healthy?
• Visit Pollination Canada to get more information about pollinators and learn how to be a pollinator observer. Download an observation kit and submit class results at davidsuzuki.org/youthandnature/f.
• Use microscope bug-catchers to get a close-up look at the insects found in the schoolyard.
Additional resources and websites See davidsuzuki.org/youthandnature/f to learn more about pollinators. Connecting with Nature 57 Appendix F1 ( 1 of 2 ) The powerful pollinators
What’s the buzz?
Pollination happens when pollen, the yellow Luckily for us, pollinators are still here, but powder in the middle of flowers, is moved they need help to stay healthy. You can help to another part of the flower. Pollen comes them by telling others about pollination, from the male part of the flower, called the planting flowers that bees and butterflies anther, and it is moved to the female part like, not hurting insects, and caring for the of the plant, called the stigma. When this environment. Every little bit of help counts! happens, the flower is fertilized and can make fruit and seeds. What is happening to pollinators? Everything in nature is interconnected. Bees
(the most common pollinator) are a crucial
part of this interconnection. If bees start to
disappear, all life, including humans, will be
affected. We must do everything we can
to ensure that bees survive and flourish.
Our own survival depends on it. European
honeybees, which are now used for
pollination around the world, are declining in number, as are native North American bees. Cross section of a flower. Source: openclipart.org We know some, but not all, of the causes. The biggest threat is habitat loss and Pollinators are the insects that pollinate destruction, as natural areas are increasingly flowers. Examples of pollinators include developed for housing, shopping centres, bees, moths, butterflies, hummingbirds, and lawns. and bats. Almost 90 per cent of flowering What can we do to protect pollinators? plants rely on these animal pollinators for fertilization, and about 200,000 species of One of the most fun ways we can all work animals act as pollinators. Their daily work is to keep bees healthy is to create homes and essential for over a billion dollars of apples, habitat for them. If you have a garden, even pears, cucumbers, melons, berries, and a small one on your balcony, you can fill it many other kinds of Canadian farm produce. with plants and flowers that attract bees Beyond providing food, plants anchor soil to and other pollinators. And because bees prevent erosion and fuel the nutrient cycle are easy to please, almost any garden will by decomposing and absorbing nutrients. attract them — but remember that native plants (ones that have been in your area for Adapted from pollinationcanada.ca. thousands of years) will attract native bees while exotic plants will attract honeybees. 58 Connecting with Nature The powerful pollinators Appendix F1 ( 1 of 2 )
What’s the buzz?
A couple of bees drinking water.
A bee collecting pollen.
Choosing a variety of plants that bloom Other ways to protect pollinators throughout the season will keep bees • Encourage your local government to buzzing from spring through fall. implement rules that protect pollinators Make a bee bath at home and create habitat for them. If your province does not currently have one, Bees and other beneficial insects — ladybugs, support a ban on the use of pesticides butterflies, and predatory wasps — all need and lawns and gardens. fresh water to drink, but most can’t land in a conventional bird bath without crashing. • Encourage local clubs of school groups “They’re like tanks with wings,” says bee to build pollinator habitats such as master Brian Campbell. “They need islands butterfly gardens. in the water to touch down on.” • Support farms and food growers who use few or no pesticides. Instructions: • And, most importantly, remember that 1. Line a shallow bowl or plate with rocks. change begins with you. 2. Add water, but leave the rocks dry to serve as landing pads.
3. Place the bath at ground level in your garden. (Put it near “problem plants” — those that get aphids, for example — and the beneficial insects that come to drink will look after them.)
4. Refresh the water daily, adding just enough to evaporate by day’s end. Connecting with Nature 59 Appendix F2 The powerful pollinators
Pollinators fact sheet
Pollinators
Who are the pollinators? What do they pollinate?
A bee collecting pollen. What is pollination? What do they pollinate?
How do we depend on pollinators?
Why is the population of pollinators What can we do to help pollinators? declining?
60 Connecting with Nature The powerful pollinators Appendix F3
How we depend on pollinators
Photos (clockwise): Jani Hailen, Alice Henneman, Eric Malette, Ian Britton, Cindy, Addison Berry, Martina Yach, Jeremy Brooks, Jalal Bhatti, Kaitlyn Rose, Nyamuru Kamome and Ruth G 61
Math, science, language, social science, arts Celebrating biodiversity: Maintaining the natural balance
Time required Guiding question 120 mins + discussion and Why is biodiversity important to the natural balance of life? project work What’s the point? What You Need A coat hanger (for each student) In this lesson, students research a plant or animal that lives in their province and make a hanging mobile to present White paper & construction paper to the class. The Earth contains an incredible diversity of String & scissors wildlife that creates a complicated web of interdependence. Single-hole punch It is important to remember that we share the planet with Markers and crayons hundreds of thousands of other life forms and that our activities can have a positive or negative effect on them. By Appendix, p. 170 Peer assessment / self-assessment (for observing living things, we can become more connected each student) with, and protective towards, the natural balance on which all life depends. Resources Appendix G1: What is biodiversity? Suggested strategies for assessment What is a species at risk? Assess student mobiles using the Achievement Chart Books, articles, and Internet access (see the Assessment Appendix, p. 165).
Assess students’ presentation of their mobiles using the Oral Communication Rubric (see the Assessment Appendix, p. 169) and the Arts Rubric (see the Assessment Appendix, p. 167).
Ask students to complete the Peer Assessment / Self- Assessment for their mobiles (see the Assessment Appendix, p. 170).
Hook View David Suzuki’s video Why Biodiversity Matters at davidsuzuki.org/youthandnature/g. 62 Connecting with Nature Celebrating biodiversity
What you do Teacher Tip Part A: Outdoors To reinforce their connection to 1. Have students conduct a survey of the nature, ask students choose to variety of species (trees, plants, animals) a species that lives, or lived, in in their schoolyard or surroundings. their community. To emphasize Discuss their findings. Use identification biodiversity, ask them to choose resources to help name species that are different species. unknown to the students.
2. Have the students imagine what the area looked like before the school and surrounding community were built. For example, what variety and / or number of plants, trees, and water do they think existed? What animals may have inhabited the original landscape? What animals are still present and why?
3. Option: discuss the students’ ideas or create a mural on the school asphalt using sidewalk chalk.
Part B: Classroom 1. Ask students what they know about biodiversity.
2. Review Appendix G1: What is biodiversity? What is a species at risk?
3. Use the Internet, non-fiction books, or other materials to research animal and plant species in their province. Ask students to choose one animal or native plant species that interests them and create a mobile to teach others about it. Potential pieces of the mobile include:
• A picture of the species • A description of the characteristics of the species • Where the species lives or can be found • The role of the species in the ecosystem (for example, what does it eat, who eats it, how does it affect the ecosystem, what other species interact with it?) • The status of the species (at risk, threatened, least concern, or thriving)
4. Have the students create each mobile piece on white or coloured construction paper. Punch holes at the top of each mobile piece and attach different lengths of string. Attach the pieces to a coat hanger. Hang the mobile from the ceiling or walls in the classroom or school.
5. Ask students to present their mobiles to the class and make a short oral presentation on what they learned about their species. Then categorize the species as at risk, threatened, least concern, or thriving.
6. Discuss the diversity of the species studied and how they are connected.
7. Discuss further using the Reflection Questions. Connecting with Nature 63 Celebrating biodiversity
Reflection questions • How did going outside to imagine what lived here before there was a school or city affect your understanding of biodiversity and how we share the planet with hundreds of thousands of other living things?
• What benefits do humans receive from biodiversity?
• What impact does urban development (for example, houses, buildings, roads) have on biodiversity and nature?
• What was the most interesting thing you saw or experienced? Did you feel more connected to nature?
• How can living within nature’s limits help protect species? Why is this goal important?
• Is this issue a local or global concern? Why?
• How can you apply what you learned about biodiversity to your Class Foundation project?
Taking it further Computer / Internet • Use computers to research the species of choice.
• Have students type up their information on the computer.
Community / Home engagement activities • To learn about species at risk and what to do to help, go to davidsuzuki.org/ youthandnature/g.
• Go into the backyard and ask family members to imagine what the area looked like before the house was there. Talk about having done a similar exercise at school.
Optional class activities • Create a website instead of making a mobile.
• Make a private social website for your class, go to davidsuzuki.org/youthandnature/g to find out how. Students can post information about and pictures of their species.
• Take a trip to a local park or protected area and ask a guest speaker to explain the biodiversity of the local plants and animals still living there.
Additional resources and websites See davidsuzuki.org/youthandnature/g to learn more about biodiversity. 64 Connecting with Nature Celebrating diversity Appendix G1 ( 1 of 2 )
What is biodiversity? What is a species at risk?
What is biodiversity? Biodiversity is a word for the variety of life on Earth. Biodiversity is all around us — from the tiniest insect to the vast northern forest and the coastal oceans.
There are different kinds of diversity:
• Species diversity is the number of species found in a certain habitat,
region, or ecosystem. There are more Wild fungi growing in Ontario. than 30,000 species in Ontario alone. Photo: Eric Parker
• Genetic diversity is the diversity of genes within a species. Genes are the • It’s valuable. Many medicines are made building blocks of life. They determine from natural sources. If we destroy things like eye and hair colour. A high biodiversity, we could also be destroying genetic diversity makes a species life-saving medicines, many of which stronger, healthier, and more dynamic. have not yet been discovered. We also rely on biodiversity for clean air • Ecosystem diversity is the number of and water, food, tourism, and outdoor different ecosystems in a region. Ontario experiences like hiking, fishing, has many different ecosystems, such and canoeing. as forests, prairies, grasslands, lakes, streams, wetlands, and tundra. • It needs protecting. We have a responsibility to protect biodiversity Why is biodiversity important? for its own sake. The incredible variety • We’re all connected. Imagine all the of species in Ontario is a product of maple trees disappeared. Not only thousands of years of evolution. We would we miss their leafy shade, fall need to protect biodiversity for future colours, and maple syrup, but we’d lose generations of Ontarians. all the valuable oxygen, homes for birds Adapted from Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources. and animals, and wood for buildings and furniture that maple trees provide. The look of our backyards, forests, and province would change forever. Every species on Earth, including human, is connected. We all rely on each other to survive. Connecting with Nature 65 Appendix G1 ( 2 of 2 ) Celebrating diversity
What is biodiversity? What is a species at risk?
What is a species at risk? Species can become at risk because of habitat loss, pollution, climate change, and Any naturally occurring plant or animal in land development, as well as the spread of danger of extinction or of disappearing from invasive species. By learning more about the province is called a species at risk. Once biodiversity and why we need to preserve a species is classified as at risk, it is added to and protect it, we can all work to maintain the Species at Risk Public Registry. There are and restore the natural balance that all life four categories, or classes, of species at risk: needs to survive. • Extirpated: a native species that no Adapted from Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources. longer exists in the wild in Ontario but still exists elsewhere (for example, Greater Prairie Chicken)
• Endangered: a native species that faces extinction or extirpation (for example, Cucumber Tree)
• Threatened: a native species at risk that is in becoming endangered in Ontario (for example, Fowler’s Toad)
• Special concern: a native species sensitive to human activities or natural events that may cause it to become endangered or threatened (for example, Monarch Butterfly)
Monarch butterflies are a species of special concern. 66 H
Math, science, health and physical education, language Gone with the wind: Find ways to reduce home heating and electricity
Time required Guiding question 90 min + homework and reporting How does reducing the amount of energy you use to heat your home What You Need or school help nature? Toilet paper What’s the point? Scissors & tape In this lesson, students make simple draft detectors to find Pencils & a thermometer drafts coming in through doors and windows in their home or Appendix H3: Gone with the wind school. Understanding how energy is wasted through inefficient (at home) buildings gets students thinking about energy conservation Appendix H4: Gone with the and the connection to the Earth’s precious resources. Students wind — what’s the connection? are introduced to the ideas that not all sources of energy are (for each student) sustainable, and that non-renewable resources need to be conserved so that we can begin to live within the limits of nature. Resources Appendix H1: All about energy Suggested strategies for assessment Appendix H2: Where energy Assess students on responsibility, collaboration, and independent comes from work using the Learning Skills Checklist (see the Assessment Appendix H3: Gone with the Appendix, p. 145). wind — at home Choose an Optional Class Activity and assess students using a tool Appendix H4: Gone with the from the Assessment Appendix. wind — what’s the connection? Hook In colder weather, open windows before students arrive to chill the classroom and simulate a draft. Discuss how drafts make it colder in the room, prompting people to turn up the heat. Make the connection between turning up the heat and the increased consumption of natural resources. Connecting with Nature 67 Gone with the wind
What you do Part A: Outdoors 1. Take students outside. Compare the temperature outside to the temperature inside.
2. Investigate exterior gaps, cracks, or damage to the doors and windows of the building. In winter, talk about how the gaps, cracks, and damage could allow cold air to come inside and heated air to go outdoors. In summer, talk about how air conditioning works overtime to cool the hot air that is coming through the cracks. Discuss the impact on nature of this unnecessary heating and cooling loss. Explain that the increased consumption of Earth’s resources contributes to the burning of harmful fossil fuels and climate change.
3. Visit the furnace room to try to figure out how the school is heated and / or cooled. Find out how much energy is used every month to heat or cool your school.
Part B: Classroom Teacher Tip 1. Begin a discussion of where energy comes from and why a lot of the Ask the school for its energy bill (electricity and natural gas) and energy we use is called non-renewable. compare how much energy is used Explain that there are also sources of in the summer versus the winter. renewable energy. (Show the pictures in Appendix H2: Where Energy Comes From.) We use energy to heat and cool our homes. We also use energy to run factories and drive our cars, buses, trains, and airplanes. Using non-renewable energy from fossil fuels such as coal, oil, and natural gas produces greenhouse gas emissions, which contribute to climate change. Refer to Appendix H1: All About Energy.
2. Ask students why we should reduce the amount of energy we consume. Explain that using all of the Earth’s non-renewable energy is not sustainable because eventually there will be none left. Instead, we need to find a way to live within the limits of nature. We can start by ensuring that the energy we do consume is used as efficiently as possible.
3. Connect this discussion to the students’ trip outside and visit to the furnace room.
4. Ask students where they think heat loss occurs in buildings.
5. Ask each student to make a draft detector to use at school and at home. To make one, tape a piece of toilet paper about 12 centimetres by five centimetres to the side of a pencil.
6. Encourage students to notice how easily the toilet paper moves when they blow on it.
7. Using the draft detector, have each group explore key spots in the school (windows, lobby doors, gym doors, exhaust fans, and mail slots). 68 Connecting with Nature Gone with the wind
8. Have students share their findings and what they think can be done to stop drafts. For One way to think about the simple ways to increase the energy efficiency sun, every time you see it at of your school or home, refer to Appendix H1: dawn, is to think of it as an All About Energy. act of cosmic generosity. — Brian Swimme, physicist 9. Give each student a copy of Appendix H3: and mathematical cosmologist Gone With the Wind — At Home and Appendix H4: Gone With the Wind — What’s the Connection? Review the handouts and assign them to be completed at home.
10. Discuss using the Reflection Questions.
Reflection questions • How did going outside to compare the temperature indoors and outdoors change the way you think about using energy?
• If drafts bring cold air from the outside, where is the warm air inside going?
• How is your school heated and how much energy is needed to keep it warm? What could be done to use less energy?
• What are some things we can do to keep our homes warm when it’s cold outside?
• How is your energy use today important for tomorrow?
• What are the benefits and challenges of renewable energy? (Renewable energy examples include wind, solar, and geothermal.)
• List three places you can use your draft detector at home.
• How does the way we use energy in our homes affect the rest of the world and nature?
• How can you apply some of these ideas to your Class Foundation project?
Taking it further Mobile device • Ask students to take pictures of areas in their homes or school where energy is being wasted. Have them display the pictures on a bristol board with a written explanation of ways to reduce the energy loss in those areas.
Community / home engagement activities • With the help of family members, complete Appendix H3: Gone with the wind — At home and Appendix H4: Gone with the wind — What’s the connection? Connecting with Nature 69 Gone with the wind
Optional class activities • Teach students how to make a draft sock. For instructions, check out davidsuzuki. org/youthandnature/h.
• Have students explore the concept of insulation by conducting an experiment on different ways to keep something warm (for example, a bottle of warm water, freshly boiled egg, or a baked potato).
• Have them identify the best materials and ways to reduce heat loss by using things like polar fleece, an electric blanket, tin foil, a sunny window, a hot water bottle, newspaper, cardboard, and an emergency reflective blanket. With the following questions, make the connection between how we heat our homes and how we can reduce energy use: Why did some materials work better than others? Why might results vary between groups? What does this finding tell us about heat loss? Where did the heat go? How does this finding relate to your use of energy at home? Do a similar experiment with the challenge of keeping something cold.
• Encourage students to design an energy-efficient home of the future. Ask them to consider heating, cooling, appliances, lights, trees, and anything else you can think of. (For assessment, use the Achievement Chart in the Assessment Appendix, p. 165, or Arts Rubric, in the Assessment Appendix, p. 167.)
• Develop a math activity to determine how much energy the school could save by lowering the thermostat by two degrees. Multiply that energy use over a day, a week, a month, and a school year. Then discuss how the students could wear sweaters and their energy consumption would decrease.
Additional resources and websites See davidsuzuki.org/youthandnature/h to learn more about reducing home heating and electricity. 70 Connecting with Nature Gone with the wind Appendix H1 ( 1 of 2 )
All about energy
Energy is in everything. We use it for because they were formed from the buried everything we do, from playing basketball remains of plants and animals that lived to baking cookies to sending astronauts into millions of years ago. Uranium ore, a solid, space. Energy comes from nature and in is mined and converted to a fuel used at different forms. nuclear power plants. Uranium is not a fossil fuel. It’s a non-renewable fuel. When we use electricity in our home, the electrical power may have been generated Adapted from the U.S. Energy Administration’s Energy Kids. by burning coal, a nuclear reaction, or a hydroelectric dam. When we fuel up our Energy use at home vehicles, the source might be petroleum or The majority of homes in Canada are heated ethanol. Ethanol is made by growing and and cooled using non-renewable sources. processing corn. Home heating in Canada accounts for nearly When we burn fossil fuels to produce 60 per cent of the energy used in the home. energy we release carbon dioxide As homes get bigger, the demand for energy and other chemicals into the air. This increases. Bigger homes use more energy process contributes to climate change because there’s more space to heat, cool, and air pollution. and light. There are also more windows that can increase heat loss. Renewable versus non-renewable energy A few simple actions can help you Energy sources are divided into two groups: save energy and nature.
Renewable energy comes from sources that Here are a few tips: can be used again and again, and they will Reduce the amount of energy you use to never run out. As a result they are called heat and cool your home. By quickly closing sustainable. Examples include energy from your door when you enter a building or sunlight, wind, running water, and tides; turning down your thermostat and putting from the biomass of things like trees or corn; on a sweater. Opening your curtains on a and from geothermal heat generated deep sunny winter day and closing them on a within the Earth. sunny summer day.
Non-renewable energy comes from sources Install a programmable thermostat. we are using up and cannot easily replace in a short time. These sources of energy are This little gizmo turns the heat up and down considered unsustainable. Non-renewable automatically. It can lower the temperature energy resources come from fossil fuels and when you are sleeping and raise it just nuclear power. Coal, petroleum, natural gas, before you get up in the morning. It only and propane are all considered fossil fuels costs about $50 and you can find one at a Connecting with Nature 71 Appendix H1 ( 2 of 2 ) Gone with the wind
All about energy
hardware store. By installing one in your Get an energy audit done on home, your family can save 10 per cent or your home. more of its heating costs. An energy audit will tell you where you are wasting the most energy and money, and give you tips on how to reduce both energy loss and costs. An energy audit costs about $200 to $300, but it will easily pay for itself in no time because of lower energy bills. Many provinces also have programs to reimburse homeowners for some of the costs of making their homes more energy efficient.
Keep looking for ways to save energy
A programmable thermostat. Not all improvements work for all homes, Photo: David Francis but here are a few more ideas that might apply to yours: Keep your furnace clean and tuned. • Use drapes or blinds to completely This job calls for professional help, and it’s cover your windows at night, in worth it. A properly tuned furnace burns winter, and during the day cleaner and saves energy. Check with your in summer. family to see how often the furnace gets • Use plants near patio doors and cleaned and the filter gets changed. large windows to insulate and shade Install proper weather stripping your home. and caulking. By ensuring that you are heating your house If all the air leaks in an average Canadian and not the outdoors, you can make a real home were combined, they would form difference. Encourage your family to look a hole as big as a basketball. No wonder at the money they can save, as well as the houses can feel drafty. Find out how your impact they can have on nature by doing just family can put proper weatherstripping in a few simple things. your house where it leaks. Then learn how to caulk your doors and windows. By doing just this step, you can reduce your heating bills by a whopping 25 per cent. 72 Connecting with Nature Gone with the wind Appendix H2
Where energy comes from
Sources of energy
Oil rig Oil sands
Coal mine Natural gas plant
Solar panel Windmill
Photos (clockwise): Tsuda, Kris Krüg, Jackson Carson, Emily, Andrew Freese Connecting with Nature 73 Appendix H3 ( 1 of 2 ) Gone with the wind
Gone with the wind — at home
What you do 1. Find out how your home is heated. Identify the types of fuel and how heat Make sure your parent / guardian gets to the rooms. Record what you signs the bottom of this page to let find (your data) using the chart below. your teacher know that you completed Come to school ready to discuss what your homework. you’ve learned.
How is your home heated? What types of fuel are How does the heat get into (For example — sunlight, used to heat your home? the rooms in your home? wood, hydroelectric power, (For example — wood, coal, (For example — fireplace, or fossil fuels) petroleum, or natural gas) furnace, baseboard heaters, or radiators)
2. Use the draft detector you made at school to find drafts in your home. Try to find up to 10 drafts in different places in your home. Record what you find (your data) using the chart below. Rate the draft using a number from 0 (no draft) to very big (10). Bring the sheet back to school with you.
Test Location How is the area heated? How big is the draft? No. (For example — windows, 0 = no draft doors, fans, fireplace, 10 = very big porches, steps)
1
2
3 74 Connecting with Nature Gone with the wind Appendix H3 ( 2 of 2 )
Gone with the wind — at home
Test Location How is the area heated? How big is the draft? No. (For example — windows, 0 = no draft doors, fans, fireplace, 10 = very big porches, steps)
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
3. Now list three ways you could use renewable energy in your own home. (For example, install solar panels on your roof)
1
2
3
Parent / Guardian’s Signature: Connecting with Nature 75 Appendix H4 Gone with the wind
Gone with the wind — what’s the connection
1. Were you surprised by anything you found? Explain.
2. List three ways we make heat in our homes. What are the pros and cons of these methods?
3. The size of houses has been growing steadily since the 1950s. How does this affect nature?
4. List six ideas your family has about how you can work together to save energy at home.
5. Animals don’t need to heat their homes the same way we do. How do they stay warm? 76 I
Science, health and physical education, language In limbo: Decrease your energy consumption
Time required Guiding question 35–40 min + discussion What can we do to reduce energy use in our homes to help us live What You Need within the limits of nature? Energy use cards What’s the point? Limbo bar or rope In this lesson, students learn where energy comes from and gain a Space for the class to move better understanding of how efficient their home appliances are and how to decrease their energy consumption. This awareness helps Resources students understand that their energy use choices can help us live Appendix I1: In limbo within the limits of nature. Appendix I2: Energy use cards Suggested strategies for assessment Appendix I3: Energy source images Assess student participation using the Learning Skills Checklist (see the Assessment Appendix, p. 145).
Assess students using the Anecdotal Notes Organizer (see the Assessment Appendix, p. 171) and the observation question.
• Observation question: Do students understand how appliances can waste energy or save energy, as well as how energy use relates to math?
Hook Have the class brainstorm to create a list of household appliances. Write this list on the board and decide which appliance they think uses the most energy. Connecting with Nature 77 In limbo
What You Do Did you know? Part A: Outdoors The average home in North American 1. Take students on a “green energy causes more than twice the greenhouse hunt” to find where green energy gas emissions of the average vehicle. is being used in the community Source: David Suzuki’s Green Guide (for example, solar panels, (Greystone, 2008) windmills, and hybrid vehicles).
2. Challenge them to find other places where green energy could be used.
Part B: Classroom 1. Ask students to discuss where electricity comes from.
2. Have students brainstorm to create a list of different renewable sources of electricity (for example, solar, wind, and hydroelectric) and non-renewable sources of electricity (for example, coal mines, oil sands, natural gas, and nuclear power). Show students images of different sources of electricity (see Appendix I3: Energy Source Images) and ask students the following questions:
3. What impact does each source have on nature?
4. Which sources of energy are sustainable and help us live within the limits of nature?
5. Ask students to brainstorm to create a list of how we waste electricity. Introduce the idea of time-of-day usage (see Appendix I1: In limbo) and discuss when people use the most electricity and when they use the least.
6. Ask students to brainstorm to create a list of the electrical appliances used around the home.
7. Explain that the next activity will focus on five appliances: the microwave, clothes dryer, clothes washer, television, and dishwasher.
8. Ask students to rank these appliances according to how much energy they think each uses in one hour.
9. Ask the class which appliance they think is the biggest energy user.
Reveal the actual ranking as follows:
Appliance Watts (per hour)
Aquarium 50–1,210 Clothes dryer 1,800–5,000 Clothes iron 1,000–1,800 78 Connecting with Nature In limbo
Appliance Watts (per hour)
Clothes washer 350–500 Computer monitor (asleep / awake) less than 30 / 150 Dishwasher 1,200–2,400
Hair dryer 1,200–1,875 Laptop computer 50 Microwave 750–1,100
Refrigerator 725 (but it’s always on!) Television 65–170 Toaster 800–1,400 Vacuum cleaner 1,000-1,440
For more information regarding energy usage in the home, refer to Appendix I1: In limbo. Point out the following:
• All the numbers are average ranges. The ranking will vary depending on how much the appliance is used. This list only indicates the amount of energy used each hour. • Energy use can vary because of make, model, and year of the appliance. • Results can be different between standard appliances and those appliances qualified as Energy Star.
Source: US Department of Energy
Limbo game (outdoors) 1. Set up a horizontal limbo bar with volunteers holding each end of the bar.
2. Demonstrate the limbo dance. (That’s a dance where a person bends backwards to pass under a horizontal bar which is raised or lowered.)
3. Have students line up in front of the limbo bar.
4. Select a card from Appendix I2: Energy Use Cards.
5. Have students listen as you read the card.
6. As a group, decide whether the bar should be raised or lowered. Raise the bar for an efficient energy use. Lower the bar for an inefficient energy use.
7. Begin with one student passing under the limbo bar.
8. Repeat until all students have had a turn.
9. Discuss using Reflection Questions. Connecting with Nature 79 In limbo
Reflection questions “A citizen of an advanced • What kinds of green energy sources did you industrialized nation consumes find on your hunt? Is your community using in six months the energy that has enough green energy? Why or why not? to last the citizen of a developing • Why does the fridge use so much energy country his entire life.” compared to other appliances when it uses — Maurice Strong, senior adviser of such a low amount of energy each hour? the United Nations and World Bank
• What did the energy wasters have in common? The energy savers?
• Now that you understand how much energy different appliances use, how will it affect how you use them? What impact could that have on nature?
• What will you do to help your family to understand the information that you’ve learned?
• What other questions do you have about the energy you use every day? Could you try to answer one of them through your Class Foundation project?
Taking it further: Community / home engagement activities • Read about how an appliance qualifies for the Energy Star program. Visitdavidsuzuki. org/youthandnature/i.
• Ask students to look around at home and list any appliances with the Energy Star label.
Optional class activities • Ask students to brainstorm to create a list of the top 10 ways they waste energy at home. Then identify the top 10 ways they could save energy.
• Take students on a field trip to a hydro plant or hydroelectric dam if there is one nearby.
• Evaluate your school’s energy efficiency. Have the custodian come in and take the class for a walk around the school to discuss the appliances your school uses. Do any of the appliances have an Energy Star label?
• The Hydro One Appliance Calculator can help approximate electricity usage based on minutes, hours, and days. Get students to experiment with the calculator in class or at home at davidsuzuki.org/youthandnature/i.
Additional resources and websites See davidsuzuki.org/youthandnature/i to learn more about decreasing energy consumption. 80 Connecting with Nature In limbo Appendix I1 ( 1 of 2 )
In limbo
In Canada, appliances and electronics Dishwashers account for about 13 per cent of household Is it better to use a dishwasher or to wash energy use. Have a look around your house. dishes by hand? It depends on how you You may be surprised how many appliances use the dishwasher, what kind you buy, and you find. Appliances use a lot of energy, how you wash dishes by hand. If you use a so it’s best to make sure the ones you use dishwasher (one with an Energy Star label), are energy efficient. Less manufacturing is make sure it’s full when you run it. required to make them, which means less pollution. Plus, they lower your family’s Use the air-dry feature or dry the dishes energy bills. by hand.
If your family needs to replace any of its Energy use in the home appliances, they should look for the Energy Star label to ensure they’re buying the most 4% Lighting efficient appliance they can afford. 13% Appliances*
Refrigerators These appliances use the most energy of any home appliance because they are on all the time. Here are some tips to make the 22% Water best use of your fridge: heating • Make sure the fridge isn’t sitting in direct sunlight. That way, it doesn’t need to compete with the extra 61% Space heating and cooling heat while trying to keep the inside temperature cold.
• Place the fridge away from any heat *30–40 per cent. More savings can be made by using Energy Star qualified appliances sources. If you buy a new fridge, unplug your old one. By replacing 10-year-old refrigerators with new Washers and dryers Energy Star models, you could Energy Star front-loading washing machines save $40 or more a year. Unplug use 45 per cent less water and 65 per cent and recycle an old second fridge or less energy than older machines. They also freezer and save $85 to $125 a year. use less detergent and extract more water from clothes during the spin cycle, reducing drying time and wear-and-tear on your clothes. Connecting with Nature 81 Appendix I1 ( 2 of 2 ) In limbo
In limbo
An electric clothes-dryer can generate these devices into power bars, and turn the more than six pounds of greenhouse gases power bar off when they’re not in use. with every load. A clothesline generates Adapted from Natural Resources Canada: nrcan.gc.ca zero. Hang-drying helps clothes last longer and smell better. It can save the average Two costs to consider household about $100 a year in energy costs. Once you know which appliances use Sunshine is also anti-bacterial and kills the most and the least energy, you can dust mites, so use an outdoor clothesline in make better choices for your home. When summer and a drying rack in winter. If you shopping for a new appliance, there are do use a dryer, be sure to keep the lint filter two costs to consider. There’s the cost clean to improve efficiency, and vacuum out at the store and there’s the cost to run it the hose once a year. for years to come. A smart consumer will consider both costs before he or she buys
any appliance.
Time-of-use-pricing and smart meters
When we’re all using a lot of electricity at
the same time, we create a peak demand
period. In Ontario, peak demand happens
in the afternoon in the summer, when air
conditioners are cooling buildings at the hottest time of the day. Electricity usage is Beware of vampire power! Unplug your devices when lower in the winter because most people you are not using them. heat their homes with natural gas, not electricity. But peak demand each day in Get rid of vampire power the winter occurs after everyone has woken Look around your home. Do you need all up in the morning (until about 10 a.m.) and your appliances and electrical devices when people get home to make dinner in plugged in all the time? Many appliances the evening. use power even when they are switched off, A primary consideration for any electricity and some of them use as much power as system is being able to deliver enough when they are turned on. A large number of electricity when it is most in demand. electrical products — from air conditioners Electricity doesn’t just flow from the wires to DVD players — need to be unplugged to in your home like water does from a tap. be completely switched off. What can your Instead, think of the electrical grid like a road family do? At home, get someone to plug system. Most of the time roads aren’t very 82 Connecting with Nature In limbo Appendix I1 ( 3 of 3 )
In limbo
busy and cars easily move along them. But In many communities with conventional during rush hour, the roads fill up. If there electricity meters, electricity rates are based are too many cars, everyone is forced to on averaging the more expensive (daytime) slow down or even stop. and the cheaper (nighttime) prices of electricity, simply because our older meters The electrical grid also works this way, so can’t report when it was used. during peak demand periods, the system can fill up and make it hard to meet all of the Smart metes are able to report when and electrical demands. how much electricity is used by your house every day. This reporting allows electricity Too much demand can cause brownouts companies to charge more for electricity or blackouts where the system is forced to during peak demand and less for electricity shut down. In the same way that many roads at other times of the day. As a result, there and highways are built to accommodate is an incentive for people to do things like peak travel times, electricity systems are their laundry later in the evening rather than built to ensure enough electricity during during peak demand. Smart meters will peak demand. This capacity can be hard lead to lower electricity consumption and on nature because of all the additional reduced use of non-renewable energy. electricity plants that must be built just to meet peak demand. Connecting with Nature 83 Appendix I3 ( 1 of 2 ) In limbo
Energy use cards
Turn the oven on to heat up Dry the washing on the clothesline. a slice of pizza.
Run the dishwasher half-full. Use a slow cooker to cook dinner.
Put a hot dinner directly Use solar lights on your garden pathway. into the refrigerator.
Fill the freezer up with food. Use a programmable thermostat.
Run an empty freezer. Put on a sweater when it is chilly.
Leave the lights on when Leave your computer monitor on all night. you leave the room.
Draw the drapes at night in the winter. Buy an Energy Star dishwasher.
Put a sensor in your classroom that will turn off the lights if Take a long, hot shower. there’s no one in the room.
Keep the drapes drawn on Cook a baked potato in a a sunny day in winter. small toaster oven.
Unplug electrical appliances Insulate the hot water heater. when not in use. 84 Connecting with Nature In limbo Appendix I3 ( 2 of 2 )
Energy use cards
Leave the TV on when Use 100-watt incandescent light bulbs. you leave the room.
Use a hot water bottle Use a large fridge with only to heat up your bed. a few items in it.
Dry all of your clothes in the Take a shower instead of bath. dryer for 90 minutes.
Replace your old dishwasher with Turn your computer monitor off at night. a new Energy Star model.
Run your washing machine Let the lint build up in the dryer filter. using cooler water.
Take a good long look in the fridge Use compact florescent light bulbs. before deciding what you need.
Open the oven door every 10 minutes Use the dishwasher, washer, and dryer to make sure the cookies in the late evening or at night. you’re baking aren’t burning.
Put a sensor in your classroom that will turn off the lights if Take a long, hot shower. there’s no one in the room.
Unplug appliances you don’t Use an on-demand hot water need running constantly. tank in your home. Connecting with Nature 85 Appendix I4 In limbo
Energy source images
Sources of energy
Oil rig Oil sands
Coal mine Natural gas plant
Solar panel Windmill
Photos (clockwise): Tsuda, Kris Krüg, Jackson Carson, Emily, Andrew Freese 86 J
Math, science, health and physical education, language, Down the drain: social science Learn how to conserve water
Time required Guiding question 60–90 min + discussion How does the water you use every day affect the rest of What You Need the planet? Appendix J2: The ways we rely on What’s the point? water In this lesson, students explore their dependence on water through Two two-litre empty pop bottles a brainstorming activity. They consider how they waste clean Water water every day and think about changes they can make to live Liquid soap within the limits of nature. By understanding that clean water is a Two large clear plastic tubs precious resource, students begin to appreciate the importance of conserving water to sustain the Earth’s freshwater supply. Resources Appendix J1: Down the drain Suggested strategies for assessment Appendix J2: The ways we depend Assess students’ overall performance using the Learning Skills on water Checklist (see the Assessment Appendix, p. 145).
Appendix J3: The world supply Choose an Optional Class Activity and assess students using a tool of water from the Assessment Appendix.
Hook 1. To demonstrate the world water supply, fill a two-litre container with water. Explain to the class that this water represents all the water on Earth.
2. Pour 60 millilitres of this water into another container. Explain that the remaining water in the container represents all the salt water on Earth, so it can’t be used for drinking.
3. Take the other 60 millilitres of water and pour 40 millilitres into another container. This 40 millilitres represents all the water that is frozen on Earth. We can’t use that for drinking either. Only the 20 millilitres remaining can be used for drinking. Connecting with Nature 87 Down the drain
4. Discuss the importance of conserving water so that we can continue to use it for all our day-to-day activities.
5. Ask students what they think they can do in their own homes to conserve water.
What you do Part A: Classroom Between earth and earth’s atmosphere, 1. Give each student a copy of the amount of water remains constant; Appendix J2: The Ways We there is never a drop more, never a drop Depend on Water. less. This is a story of circular infinity, of 2. Divide the class into four groups. a planet birthing itself. Assign each group one of the — Linda Hogan, author following areas:
• At home (indoors) • At home (outdoors) • At school • At play
3. Have each group brainstorm five ways they use water in their area. Have each student list his or her group’s ideas on the worksheet.
4. Ask a representative from each group to share the group’s ideas. List the ideas on the board and have the rest of the class fill out the remainder of their worksheets.
5. Begin a discussion of our dependency on water in our day-to-day lives.
Explore how much water we use 1. Ask for two volunteers. Provide a two-litre pop bottle full of water to represent a faucet, one squirt of liquid soap, and one clear plastic tub to catch the water.
2. Select one volunteer to be the hand washer and one volunteer to be the water pourer. Have the rest of the class observe.
3. Provide the washer with one squirt of liquid soap. Have the student wash his or her hands over top of the plastic tub. Tell the pourer to flow the water over the washer’s hands until the bottle is empty. (The hand washer may not be able to finish washing his or her hands.)
4. Using a second clear tub, repeat steps one to three by having the pourer provide water only for wetting and rinsing hands (not free flowing).
5. Compare the amount of water in both tubs and discuss how much water was conserved in the second attempt. Discuss the effectiveness of both methods and how students can change their hand-washing habits to conserve water. 88 Connecting with Nature Down the drain
Part B: Outdoors 1. Go on a walk around your community to find sources of water (for example, puddles, sewers, rain barrels, rivers, and sprinklers). Discuss how the water is being used. 2. If you visit a nearby stream, river, or pond, have the students look for different creatures in and around the water source. What do they see? How do the creatures they see depend on the water? Where does the water come from and where does it go? 3. Discuss the differences between the types of water you see. What sources of water could the students drink? Is any water being wasted? What are some ways that water could be conserved (for example, collecting rainwater in barrels to water plants rather than using a hose)?
Home follow-up activity 1. Ask students to brush their teeth at home that evening and the following morning in two ways: • As they normally would with the faucet running (evening) • Turning the faucet on and off as needed (morning)
2. In both scenarios, ask students to keep the drain plugged so they can compare their water usage. 3. Discuss the students’ findings and share using the Reflection Questions.
Reflection Questions • During your walk outside, what did you discover about the way water is used in your community? How can we change our water use to have a positive impact on nature?
• In what ways do you depend on water? Do you think you could use less water in your daily lives in order to live within the limits of nature? How?
• Do you think all regions of the world have the same access to freshwater as we do in Canada?
• What will happen if humans in developed countries continue to use water at the present rate?
• Why is it important to conserve freshwater?
• What impact does our use of fresh water have on nature?
• How can you apply some of these ideas to your Class Foundation project? Connecting with Nature 89 Down the drain
Taking it further Community / home engagement activities • Challenge family members to take action by cutting back on their daily water consumption. Have students sit down with their family and look at the water consumption on their utility bill, then draw up a plan to conserve water. Have students chart their water usage over six months to see if the changes they make have a difference on their overall consumption. Visit your local water treatment plant. Find out where your community’s water comes from and how the water is cleaned before and after it comes out of the tap.
Optional class activities • Have students write a song about the importance of conserving water, using the tune of a familiar childhood song. Visit davidsuzuki.org/youthandnature/j for examples of water conservation songs.
• Have students sing their songs over the school PA system. (For assessment, use the Peer Assessment in the Assessment Appendix, p. 170.)
• We depend on water for our survival. Have students choose a developing country and research its water use. Compare that country’s water use to Canada’s. Have students write a reflection about the differences in the amount of water used in the two countries. (See You Are the Earth by David Suzuki and Kathy Vanderlinden, p. 47.) Start a discussion about how we can inspire others to be aware of the water they use. (For assessment, use the Achievement Chart in the Assessment Appendix, p. 165.)
• Place a rain barrel in the schoolyard. At the end of the week, go outside and look at the water the barrel has collected. Use the collected water to water the plants around the schoolyard. Have a class discussion about how the class has helped nature.
Additional resources and websites See davidsuzuki.org/youthandnature/j to learn more about water conservation. 90 Connecting with Nature Down the drain Appendix J1
Down the drain
Water is crucial to human survival. We use • Installing a low-flow showerhead water for many daily activities like cooking, costs as little as $20 and reduces cleaning, washing, and drinking. water flow by half. • Replace your toilet with an ultra- Here are a few tips that will help you low volume (ULV) model. Standard save water: toilets in Canada use 18 litres of Reduce the amount of time you spend in water every flush, while ULV toilets the shower. By minimizing the duration of reduce the amount of water flushed your showers, you’ll also reduce the amount to 6 litres. That means you’ll reduce of energy used to keep that water nice your water consumption by 66 per and hot. cent every time you flush. Water your lawn in the evening. And use Source: Natural Resources Canada a soaker hose instead of a sprinkler. If a • Check out dual-flush models that particular plant needs more water, give allow you to control the water the plant what it needs but don’t water required to flush. And see if your the whole lawn. Half of the water used on local water authority provides lawns is lost to evaporation or runoff caused rebates for replacing your old toilets by overwatering. with water-efficient models. Wash your car with a bucket and sponge. • If you’re thinking of purchasing or Environment Canada estimates that using replacing a washing machine, buy a running hose to wash your car can waste a model with the Energy Star label. about 400 litres of water. To stop all that These washers use half the water beautiful drinking water from washing down and 37 per cent less energy than a the street, fill a bucket and use a sponge regular washer. You’ll save money before quickly rinsing your car with a hose. on water and energy bills. If you use a trigger nozzle on the hose as Source: Energy Star well, you can save about 300 litres of water every time you wash your car.
Source: Environment Canada
Repair leaky faucets and replace water- inefficient devices. Repair all leaky faucets and toilets. A leak of one drop every second results in about 10,000 litres of water lost over a year. That’s the equivalent of 70 baths. Retrofit by adapting or replacing older water-using appliances and devices with newer ones that are more efficient: Connecting with Nature 91 Appendix J2 ( 1 of 2 ) Down the drain
The ways we depend on water
What you do 1. In your group, brainstorm five ways humans use water in your assigned area.
2. List your five ideas in the space beside your assigned area.
3. After you hear your classmates’ ideas about their areas, fill in the rest of this worksheet.
1
2
At home 3 (indoors)
4
5
1
At home 2 (outdoors)
3 92 Connecting with Nature Down the drain Appendix J2 ( 2 of 2 )
The ways we depend on water
1
2
At school 3
4
5
1
2
At play 3
4
5 Connecting with Nature 93 Appendix J3 Down the drain
The world supply of water 94 K
Math, science, health and physical education, language Getting there: Alternatives to the car
Time required Guiding question 30–45 min + discussion What are the positives and negatives of leaving your car at home and What You Need finding another way to get around? Appendix K3: Scenario cards What’s the point? Appendix K4: Choice cards In this lesson, students are given different travel scenarios and Scissors asked to determine the most appropriate mode of transportation Appendix K2: Getting there (for based on environmental and health impacts. As a result, students each group) learn how to make lifestyle choices that can have a more positive A transit map of your area (for impact on nature. each group) Suggested strategies for assessment Resources Assess group work using the Learning Skills Checklist (see the Appendix K1: Alternatives to Assessment Appendix, p 145). the car Choose an Optional Class Activity and assess students using a tool Appendix K2: Getting there from the Assessment Appendix. Appendix K3: Scenario and choice cards Hook Write the following four transportation options on the board: walk, carpool, bus, and drive. Ask students to think about the environmental and health impacts of each method of transportation. Rank the methods of transportation according to their impact. At the end of the lesson, revisit the initial ranking to see if your choices have changed. Connecting with Nature 95 Getting there
What you do Part A: Classroom 1. Introduce students to units of distance Did you know? measurements, with an emphasis Road transportation is the on kilometres. single largest source of greenhouse gas emissions 2. Begin a conversation about the typical trips and air pollution in Canada. they take with their families. Have students brainstorm a list of common destinations and the average time required to get to those places in a car.
3. Ask students: What kind of energy does a car use? How does using this energy to run a car affect nature? See Appendix K1: Alternatives to the Car.
4. Now ask students to imagine that cars are no longer available. How else can they get to where they need to go? Record their ideas on the board.
5. Divide the class into small groups.
6. Give each group a scenario card and a choice card.
7. Have the students figure out how to make the scenario and choice work together and then ask them to complete Appendix K2: Getting There. Here is a completed example: • Scenario: Go to your music lesson 3 kilometres away (1-hour walk). • Choice: Rollerblade. • How: You would need to own rollerblades and have a safe route to take to your class, like a bike path. • Positive outcomes: You get to exercise and spend time outdoors. • Negative outcomes: Depending on the weather, you may not always be able to rollerblade, and you couldn’t take a really big instrument along like a tuba!
8. As a class, review and compare each group’s conclusions. Discuss similarities and differences. Challenge students to come up with their own scenario cards and choice cards.
Part B: Outdoors 1. Go on a walk around your school and have students keep a tally of the number of cars, buses, trucks, trains, bikes, and pedestrians they see. Also look for bus stops, bike racks, and parking lots.
2. Discuss the students’ findings. Ask students: Why is a large number of motorized vehicles such a concern? How many bus stops are nearby? Are there bike racks in the schoolyard?
3. Share using the Reflection Questions. 96 Connecting with Nature Getting there
Reflection questions • Based on your walk outside, would you say more people drive or walk when they need to get around? What effect does that have on nature and your health?
• Why do you think we usually use cars to go places? Could this preference be changed? How?
• Imagine how your life could be different if your family got rid of its car. Imagine your family only had one car. How would this help nature?
• What are the ways other species get around?
• If your family were moving, what advice would you give them on where to live?
• What are some stories in your community about people who have changed the way they get around? How are they helping nature?
• How can you share these stories with others?
• What kind of project could you do through your Class Foundation to help encourage yourself and others to use alternatives to the car?
Taking it further Community / Home engagement activities • Encourage students to participate in a walk- or bike-to-school day. Use carbon calculators to measure the emissions they could save by choosing alternative transportation between their home and school. Find links to carbon calculators at davidsuzuki.org/youthandnature/k.
• Provide each student with a set of scenario and choice cards to take home so they can try the activity with parents or siblings.
• At least once a week, make a commitment with family to walk, bike, rollerblade, or skateboard to nearby locations instead of driving.
• Ask students to find elders in the community to talk about the modes of transportation when they were young. How was life different then? How common was it to fly or drive Teacher Tip long distances? What were the On their walk, ask students to take advantages of not moving around pictures of alternative modes of as quickly as we do today? transportation using cameras or mobile devices, and to display their photos in various formats (for example, a slide show or on a bulletin board). Connecting with Nature 97 Getting there
Optional class activities • Decorate a bulletin board with the title “Alternative Means of Transportation.” Encourage students to bring in photos or magazine images of different methods of transportation.
• Have students create a map of their area or find a map and select 10 locations they regularly visit (for example, a grocery store, their school, or a mall). Have students locate their home and use a highlighter to trace the route from their home to each of the locations. For each route, ask students to choose which unit of measurement to use (centimetres, metres, or kilometres) to describe the route and to explain why this unit of measurement is most appropriate. Then have students label the map, using words or pictures, describing the type of transportation they would use for each route. (For assessment, use the Achievement Chart in the Assessment Appendix, p. 165).
• Alternatively, students could use Google Maps at maps.google.ca. This program allows users to map their journeys by car, bus, bike, or on foot. Have students type in their home address and their destination, and the transportation options will appear.
• Write letters to people in positions of authority (for example, the principal, city councillor, or member of parliament) about a transportation issue that the students would like to see change. Some examples include requesting more bike racks so that more students can bike to school or creating a carpool lane at the school drop-off zone. Encourage students to request things that will get more students walking or biking to school: more sidewalks, bike lanes, pedestrian-friendly intersections, and a walking school-bus program.
Additional resources and websites See davidsuzuki.org/youthandnature/k to learn more about alternatives to the car. 98 Connecting with Nature Getting there Appendix K1
Alternatives to the car
Every time we find a way to get around that Share a car doesn’t involve the car, we score one for Transportation is the third largest household nature. Depending on where you live, there expense in Canada after taxes and shelter. are all kinds of alternatives to the car, like A private vehicle is expensive to fuel, insure, public transit, carpooling, and car sharing. and maintain. And the average car spends Even if your family already owns a vehicle, about 90 per cent of the time just taking up you can reduce air pollution impacts by space. Car sharing has become very popular doing one less trip. in communities across Canada. Instead of Use public transit everyone owning a car, people share cars that are owned by an organization. You can Public transit keeps people moving. Transit have a whole fleet at your disposal for a can involve buses, streetcars, subways, light- fraction of the cost of owning a car. Every car rail transit, commuter trains, or even city shared replaces six to eight private vehicles ferries. It is publicly funded and can be used on the road. by anyone in the community for a fee. People join the car-sharing organization for a The next time you are on a bus, count the monthly or annual fee. Whenever they need number of people inside. Each public bus a car, they simply reserve one. For example, takes about 40 vehicles off the road during if someone needs to attend a course on rush hour, saving about 70,000 litres of fuel Thursday nights, he or she can book the and reducing air pollutants by nine tonnes car at that time every week. Everyone a year. Trams, subways, and other public shares in the costs and no one has all the trains have similar positive effects on the responsibility of owning the car. environment. Public transit helps make our air cleaner and ensures more people are There are many alternatives to owning your getting exercise as they walk to and from own car. Talk it over with family members their bus stop. and see what other ideas they can come up with. Share the ride Get active Carpooling or ride-sharing reduces pollution. If four neighbours who each commute Active methods of transportation include 20 kilometres a day travel together, they walking, biking, rollerblading, and will reduce their carbon dioxide emissions skateboarding. These activities do not by 75 per cent require the use of fossil fuels, have less impact on the air we breathe, and promote a Sharing also reduces cost. Beyond the price healthy lifestyle. of the car, insurance, repairs and gasoline add up. By ride sharing, people can save up to $360 a person each year. Connecting with Nature 99 Appendix K2 ( 1 of 2 ) Getting there
Getting there
How do vehicles affect nature? Water pollution Vehicles have a big impact on nature. They • Rainwater on the road washes oils, create air pollution and climate change, gas, and pollutants off the road into increase water pollution, produce solid storm sewers. waste, and use non-renewable energy. • Storm sewers lead to streams and rivers.
Air pollution and climate change • The chemicals end up damaging • Cars contribute to the production of the plants and animals in various greenhouse gases and climate change. water habitats
• Climate change causes habitat loss for Solid waste wildlife, with warmer temperatures • Many parts of old cars are not recycled affecting weather patterns, food and instead pile up in landfills. sources, and available land. • Leaking oil and gasoline gets into soil, • Cars also fill the air with exhaust, which damaging plants and animals that live leads to health problems for people. underground. • Air pollution can make it difficult for some people to breath, particularly on Energy use smoggy, hot days. Some people can • Auto production plants use up a large have minor reactions to air pollution, amount of energy, water, and steel to and others can react by coughing, produce cars. wheezing, or having difficulty breathing • Manufacturing oil and gasoline requires energy from sources that cause pollution. 100 Connecting with Nature Getting there Appendix K2 ( 2 of 2 )
Alternatives to the car
What you do 1. In your small groups, you will be given two cards: one scenario card and one choice card.
2. Using the form below, find out if the two can go together to make a trip possible.
3. After you have worked through the task, list the positives and the negatives of such a trip.
Scenario:
Choice:
How would we do it?
Time required:
Impacts Positive Negative
Health
Environmental Connecting with Nature 101 Appendix K3 Getting there
Getting there
Scenario cards
Pick up a snack at the store. Go to the movies. 0.5 km away (7 minute walk) 10km away (2.5 hour walk)
Visit a friend’s place. Go with your team to a soccer tournament. 1 km away (15 minute walk) 50km away (12.5 hour walk)
Go shopping downtown. Go to school on a daily basis. 5 km away (1 hour walk) 1km away (15 minute walk)
Take grandma to an appointment. Visit a local park / conservation area. 17 km away (4 hour walk) 15km away (4 hour walk)
Go camping. Go to your music lesson. 40 km away (10 hour walk) 50km away (45 minute walk)
Choice cards
Use rapid transit (GO train, monorail) Take a school bus
Ride a bicycle Use rapid transit (city bus, street car)
Carpool Rollerblade
Walk Take the subway
Skateboard Drive 102 L
Math, science, health and physical education, language. What’s inside your social science personal care products? Hunting down the dirty dozen
Time required Guiding question 60 min + discussion Why does understanding what’s inside everyday products like What You Need cosmetics and toothpaste help protect our health and nature? Appendix L2: The dirty dozen (for What’s the point? each group) In this lesson, students bring personal care products to class Appendix L3: Cosmetic bottles checklist (for each group) and work in groups to analyze what’s inside the products using the ingredients lists. Students then make their own moisturizer Appendix L4: Make your and toothpaste to take home. They learn that some chemicals cosmetics (for each student) commonly used as ingredients in everyday products can harm Bowls and spoons for the students humans and nature. By learning to read labels and adopting to mix their moisturizer and healthier lifestyle choices, students and their families can reduce toothpaste exposure to dangerous chemicals. Resources Appendix L1: Know more about Suggested strategies for assessment your cosmetics Assess students using the Anecdotal Notes Organizer Appendix L2: The dirty dozen (see the Assessment Appendix, p. 171) and the observation question. Appendix L3: Cosmetic bottles checklist • Observation question: Do students understand how some Appendix L4: Make your own chemicals used as ingredients in everyday products can cosmetics harm them and nature?
Assess students’ group work using the Learning Skills Checklist (see the Assessment Appendix, p. 145).
Choose an Optional Class Activity and assess students using a tool from the Assessment Appendix.
Hook Show students the video Are Your Cosmetics Guilty of Causing Bodily Harm at davidsuzuki.org/youthandnature/l. Afterward, ask, “What is a cosmetic?” Connecting with Nature 103 What’s inside your personal care products?
What students should bring to class Ask each student to bring to class: Teacher Tip • Three cosmetic bottles or packages (for example, shampoo, body wash, This lesson could leave students deodorant, makeup, and fragrances) feeling isolated or insecure because of the topic. If students do not that have an ingredient list purchase their own personal care • An assigned ingredient (for example, products, they may feel powerless three teaspoons of honey) to make to bring about change. The outdoor moisturizer and toothpaste component where students are in small groups discussing how they • Two small jars to take home feel after doing the activity will be their samples important for them to express any fears or concerns they have and to be What you do supported by their peers. Part A: Classroom 1. Ask students how many personal care products they use every day. Remind them to consider things like soap, toothpaste, deodorant, and shampoo. Ask for a show of hands of those who use one product, two products, and so on, up to 10 products daily. End by asking how many use more than 10 products daily.
2. Tell students that the U.S. Environmental Working group estimates that Americans use on average 10 products a day. Explain to students that we use these products directly on or in our bodies and then rinse them down the drain and into our rivers and oceans.
Cosmetic products analysis 1. Arrange the class into groups of three to conduct a cosmetic products analysis.
2. Make a master list on the board of the different types of personal care products students brought to class (for example, toothpaste, deodorant, shampoo, and lip balm). Ask each group to add one item to the list until you have good range of products.
3. Ask: Which type of personal care products do you think people use the most? When you, or members of your family, are shopping for these things, how do you choose which product to buy? What is the most important thing to consider when purchasing products?
4. Refocus attention by reading aloud Appendix L1: Know More About What’s Inside Your Cosmetic Products. If you want to provide your class with more information, show the video Story of Stuff: Cosmetics. Find it at davidsuzuki.org/ youthandnature/l. 104 Connecting with Nature What’s inside your personal care products?
5. Give each group a copy of Appendix L3: Cosmetic Bottles Checklist. Ask students to take turns recording the names of their groups’ products on the checklist. Ask each group to elect one person to begin. (The first student selects one product and records its name. Then the checklist is passed to the next group member. The second student selects another product and records its name. Continue this process until all products are recorded.) Have the students work collectively to help the recorder identify the names of each of their products.
6. Give each group a copy of Appendix L2: The Dirty Dozen. As a class, read over the handout to familiarize students with the chemicals they will be searching for.
7. Remind students that it is important to read labels when they buy products. Have them locate the ingredient list on their bottles and use Appendix L2: The Dirty Dozen to identify which of the 12 most dangerous chemicals are contained in their products. Ask them to calculate the total number of dirty dozen chemicals used in each of their products. Tell the students that parfum is often the last ingredient in the list. (Cosmetic ingredients are listed in order of the quantity contained in the product.) Can’t find the ingredient list? Ingredients must be listed on the package of all cosmetics sold in Canada unless the product is classified as a drug or “therapeutic product.” This loophole allows many sunscreens, anti-aging lotions, hand sanitizers, and other products to avoid listing non-medicinal ingredients. Also, if the product is very small (for example, a lipstick or eyeliner), the ingredients may have been listed on an accompanying box, tag, tape, or card.
8. Have the groups share their findings with the class. Ask each group: What surprised you most while completing this activity? How many products contained no dirty dozen chemicals? Which product had the most? How many did it have? Did you analyze ingredients in organic products? What did you find?
Make your own moisturizer and toothpaste Teacher Tip 1. Tell students that there are Encourage students to print and cut out their own Sustainable Shopper’s other ways to reduce their Guide (see Additional Resources and exposure to toxic chemicals. Websites). This wallet-sized shopper’s Provide each group of students guide lists the dirty dozen chemicals with a moisturizer recipe and a to avoid when shopping for cosmetics. toothpaste recipe, along with Students may use the guide to check the the tools they will need. Have ingredient list on personal care products students take out the ingredient before they make a purchase. they brought from home. Display the following recipes for students to follow. Multiply the quantity by the number of students in each group. Connecting with Nature 105 What’s inside your personal care products?
Provide students with the recipe handout to take home and make with their family. Did you know?
Moisturizer Recipe The largest organ of the human body is the skin. Mix ingredients together in a bowl:
• 1 tsp tea with honey • 1 tsp vegetable oil • 1 tsp lemon juice
Toothpaste Recipe
Mix ingredients together in a bowl:
• 3 tbsp baking soda • 1/2 tsp table salt • 1 tbsp vegetable glycerin • 10–15 drops essential oil (for example, peppermint, spearmint or cinnamon)
2. Have students work in groups to make their moisturizer and toothpaste. Each student should have some moisturizer and toothpaste to take home and sample. Students may need to remix the toothpaste each time they use it.
Part B: Outdoors 1. Take the students outside to sit in small groups to discuss how they are feeling after completing this lesson. 2. Bring the students all together. Use reflection questions to explore their understanding.
Reflection questions • What were some of the common feelings you discussed in your small groups?
• How do harmful chemicals in things like your shampoo affect you and nature?
• What are some things you can do to help limit the amount of chemicals you are exposed to in your personal care products?
• What kinds of things do you think the companies that make these products should do to help you make better choices? What can you do to encourage them to take those actions?
• How is this information going to affect your understanding of living within nature’s limits? What will you do differently now? What are some ways you can share this information with your family?
• What could companies and governments do to better protect the health of consumers? How can you apply some of these ideas to your Class Foundation project? 106 Connecting with Nature What’s inside your personal care products?
Taking it further Community / Home engagement activities • Take home a copy of Appendix L4: Make your own two-ingredient cosmetics. Encourage your students to use these easy recipes as an alternative to store-bought products to reduce their exposure to harmful chemicals.
• Challenge your students to reduce the number of cosmetics they use each day. The average teenager uses 17 personal care products a day, the average woman uses 12, and the average man uses six.
• Be active in promoting positive change. Invite students to share the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics with family, friends, and other members of the community
Optional class activities • Contact cosmetic companies, celebrities, or members of parliament to encourage them to begin the movement toward safe personal care products and open sharing of ingredients so consumers can make informed choices. Students can write letters or emails to see what response they get to their concerns.
• Design posters or a display board to inform the school community about the dirty dozen and to share the cosmetic recipes, helping others to avoid using harmful chemicals. Put up the posters and display board in the school. (For assessment, see the Achievement Chart in the Assessment Appendix, p. 165.)
• Have students enter their cosmetics in the EWG Skin Deep Cosmetics database and look at the results at davidsuzuki.org/youthandnature/l.
Additional resources and websites See davidsuzuki.org/youthandnature/l to learn more about toxins in cosmetics. Connecting with Nature 107 Appendix L1 What’s inside your personal care products?
Know more about your cosmetics
Consumers can try to avoid at least some toxic chemicals in their toiletries by checking the ingredient list before buying personal care products. But our survey results show how difficult it can be to avoid unhealthy chemicals because they are in so many What comes to mind when you think of different products. pollution? Probably not your shampoo, soap, Buyer beware is not enough when it or toothpaste. But some of the chemicals comes to protecting human health and found in personal care products aren’t the environment from unnecessary toxic that pretty. chemicals. The Canadian government needs In 2010, the David Suzuki Foundation invited to make companies have ingredient lists Canadians to pull back the shower curtain that are easier to read, and keep harmful and participate in an online survey about chemicals out of our products in the first toxic ingredients in cosmetics. We asked place. Ninety-eight per cent of survey participants to check ingredient lists for 12 participants agreed that Canada’s cosmetic sets of chemicals — a dirty dozen ingredients laws should be strengthened. linked to health and environmental concerns
The results are disturbing: • Almost 80 per cent of products reportedly contained at least one of the dirty dozen ingredients.
• More than half of all products
reportedly contained multiple dirty
dozen ingredients.
• Participants were unable to locate
ingredient lists on more than
1,000 products.
108 Connecting with Nature What’s inside your personal care products? Appendix L2 ( 1 of 2 )
The dirty dozen
1. BHA and BHT 4. Dibutyl Phthalate These ingredients are used mainly in This ingredient (pronounced thal-ate) is moisturizers and makeup as antioxidants used mainly in nail polishes. In many other and preservatives. They are also a hidden cosmetics, it can be hidden under the term ingredient in some fragrances. BHT may parfum or fragrance. Dibutyl phthalate is be harmful to humans. Both chemicals can absorbed through the skin. It can cause a cause allergic reactions and other health variety of health problems in humans. It is problems. They also are harmful to fish and proven to be very harmful to fish and other other wildlife. animals. It is banned in cosmetics in the European Union, but not in Canada. 2. Coal tar dyes Look for the ingredient P-Phenylenediamine, 5. Siloxanes colours identified as “C.I.” followed by a five- How do you find siloxanes? Look for digit number, or “FD&C” or “D&C” followed Cyclomethicone, Cyclotetrasiloxane, by a colour name and number. Cyclopentasiloxane, or Cyclohexasiloxane.
Phenylenediamine is used in hair dyes. Siloxanes soften, smooth, and moisten skin. Other coal tar–derived colours are used in However, they may hurt the skin, eyes, and cosmetics. Colours may be contaminated lungs. They don’t easily decompose and can with low levels of heavy metals, some remain in the environment long after they of which are harmful to humans. This are rinsed down the shower drain. They are ingredient is of particular concern when dangerous to fish and other animal species. used in cosmetics that may end up in our mouths, like lipstick. 6. Formaldehyde-Releasing Preservatives 3. DEA, Cocamide DEA, and Look for DMDM Hydantoin, Lauramide DEA Diazolidinyl Urea, Imidazolidinyl Urea, DEA and DEA compounds are used to Methenamine, Quarternium-15, or Sodium make cosmetics creamy or sudsy. They can Hydroxymethylglycinate. also make your skin and eyes itchy or sore All of these ingredients are used to make and cause other health problems. They are cosmetics last longer. Formaldehyde can harmful to fish and other animals. make your skin and eyes itchy and sore. It can also cause allergies and other health problems in humans. These preservatives are also toxic to fish and other animals. Connecting with Nature 109 Appendix L2 ( 2 of 2 ) What’s inside your personal care products?
The dirty dozen
7. Parabens 10. Petrolatum Look for Paraben, Methylparaben, This ingredient (mineral oil jelly) is used in Butylparaben, or Propylparaben. a variety of moisturizers to keep moisture in the skin. It is also used in hair care products Parabens are widely used in cosmetics to to make hair shine. It can be contaminated make them last longer. They easily penetrate with harmful chemicals. The European the skin and are suspected of causing health Union restricts its use in cosmetics. problems for humans. 11. Sodium Laureth Sulfate 8. Parfum Look for sodium laureth sulfate and other The term fragrance or parfum on a cosmetic chemicals usually including the letters -eth. ingredients list can actually be a mixture of dozens of chemicals. Companies want their This ingredient is used in cosmetics as a fragrance recipes to be a secret, so they are cleansing agent and also to make products not required to share those chemicals in bubble and foam. It may be harmful to the list of ingredients. Of the thousands of humans. It doesn’t easily decompose and chemicals used in fragrances, most have not can remain in nature long after the product been tested for toxicity. Many of these hidden is rinsed down the shower drain. ingredients are irritants and can trigger allergic reactions and other health problems. 12. Triclosan This ingredient is used mainly in 9. PEG compounds antiperspirants / deodorants, cleansers, and Look for PEG and other chemicals usually hand sanitizers to make them last longer including the letters -eth. and as an antibacterial agent. It can pass through skin and is suspected of being PEG compounds are widely used to make harmful to humans. Environment Canada cosmetics “creamy.” PEG makes your skin has proven that triclosan is dangerous to absorb products like moisturizers. These fish and other animals because it doesn’t chemicals may be harmful to humans. They easily decompose and can build up in nature do not decompose easily, and they can stay after it has been rinsed down the shower in nature long after they are rinsed down the drain. Because it is used so much, it may shower drain. contribute to antibiotic-resistant bacteria. The Canadian Medical Association has called for a ban on antibacterial consumer products, including ones containing triclosan. 110 Connecting with Nature What’s inside your personal care products? Appendix L3 ( 1 of 3 )
Cosmetics bottle checklist
Product name Toxic chemical
BHA and BHT Coal Tar Dyes DEA related Dibutyl • Phenylenediamine ingredients phthalate • C.I. • DEA • FD&C • Cocamide • D&C DEA • Lauramide DEA
Example product Connecting with Nature 111 Appendix L3 ( 2 of 3 ) What’s inside your personal care products?
Cosmetics bottle checklist
Toxic chemical (continued)
Formaldehyde-releasing Parabens Parfum PEG compounds Petrolatum preservatives • Paraben (a.k.a. fragrance) • PEG • DMDM hydantoin • Methylparaben • Letters “eth” • Diazolidinyl urea • Butylparaben • Imidazolidinyl urea • Propylparaben • Methenamine • Quarternium-15 • Sodium hydroxymethyglycinate 112 Connecting with Nature What’s inside your personal care products? Appendix L3 ( 3 of 3 )
Cosmetics bottle checklist
Toxic chemical (continued)
Siloxanes Sodium Triclosan Total Notes • Cyclomethicone laureth sulfate number of chemicals • Cyclotetrasiloxane • Sodium • Cyclopentasiloxane laureth sulfate • Cyclohexasiloxane • Letters “eth”
6 / 12
/ 12
/ 12
/ 12
/ 12
/ 12
/ 12
/ 12
/ 12
/ 12
/ 12 Connecting with Nature 113 Appendix L4 ( 1 of 2 ) What’s inside your personal care products?
Make your own cosmetics
Toothpaste This all natural toothpaste is easy to make and lasts indefinitely!
3 tbsp baking soda
½ tsp table salt
1 tbsp vegetable glycerin (found at health food stores or organic grocery stores)
3 drops (optional) essential oil like peppermint or spearmint (start with small amounts as each of us react differently to essential oils)
Mix all ingredients together in small bowl until it makes a paste. Store it in a covered container.
Shampoo Use once a week or as often as you like.
¾ cup distilled water
2 bags peppermint, chamomile, or black tea
Boil water and make tea. Steep for 5 minutes. Set aside to cool.
In another bowl, add:
¼ cup liquid castile soap (comes in many varieties, including lavender, orange, and unscented)
½ tsp salt
1 tbsp (optional) witch hazel or aloe gel
Add tea to soap and salt. Stir. Store in pump or squeeze-bottle.
tip: the mixture will want to separate, so mix again before each use. 114 Connecting with Nature What’s inside your personal care products? Appendix L4 ( 2 of 2 )
Make your own cosmetics
Lip balm Ask an adult to help set up the double boiler, or heat the ingredients in a microwave for 1 to 2 minutes
½ cup sweet almond oil (use avocado or olive oil if you have a nut allergy)
2 tbsp grated beeswax
½ tsp local liquid honey (antiseptic, astringent, and moisturizing properties)
5 drops (optional) essential oil like peppermint, grapefruit, lemon, or lime
Add first 3 ingredients to the top bowl of the double boiler. Bring water to a boil. Once the beeswax is melted, remove bowl from heat. If you’re using an essential oil, add it now. Let mixture cool. Store in a covered container.
Note: depending on your desired consistency, you may need to play with the amount of beeswax.
Dog shampoo Pets need chemical-free products, too!
¾ cup distilled water
¼ cup liquid castile soap (comes in many varieties, including lavender, orange, and unscented). Or you can use vegetable glycerin.
1 tbsp aloe gel
1 drop anti-flea essential oils, like rosemary, lavender, peppermint, eucalyptus, spearmint, and citronella. Add a drop of each or purchase an anti-flea essential oil blend from a local herbalist or health food store.
Add all ingredients into an old squirt bottle. Shake before each use. Rinse well and avoid the area around your pet’s eyes. M 115
Science, health and physical education, language, Round the year: social science Where and how is your food produced?
Time required Guiding question 45–60 min + discussion What are the benefits of buying foods grown in-season, What You Need naturally and locally? Large diagram of the four seasons What’s the point? for posting on a bulletin board In this lesson, students categorize produce grown in each A piece of scrap paper and a felt marker (for each student) season. By determining which crops belong in which season, students consider the benefits of eating seasonal, Tape locally grown foods. Eating seasonal, locally grown foods Grocery flyers and / or pictures of cuts down on the resources used to produce and transport food our food and allows us to eat healthier. Pylons (plastic cones, usually orange, used to mark off areas) Suggested strategies for assessment Optional: Music Assess student performance using the Learning Skills Optional: World map to examine Checklist (see the Assessment Appendix, p. 145). the distance foods may travel Assess student awareness using the Anecdotal Notes Organizer (see the Assessment Appendix, p. 171) and the Resources observation question. Appendix M1: Seasonal foods Appendix M2: Pumpkin patch • Observation question: Are students able to identify which crops naturally grow in each season and the benefits of buying locally, naturally produced food? Hook Display a picture that shows local food being grown (for example, see Appendix M2: Pumpkin patch). Ask students to describe what is happening in the picture and identify the season. Invite them to share their own experiences picking or growing local produce. 116 Connecting with Nature Round the year
What you do Teacher Tip Part A: Classroom Point out that some foods 1. Post the large diagram of the four seasons are available in more than on a bulletin board. one season and that different 2. Discuss the kinds of foods grown in your crops ripen at different times throughout the province. community. Do any of the students’ families With your students, explore have their own gardens? Does the school the concept of bio-region. have a garden? What grows in the gardens? List some of the produce on the board.
3. Assign one food to each child and ask that student to draw the food on large paper, or cut out pictures of the food from grocery flyers.
4. As a class, discuss when the foods needs to be planted, when they can be harvested, what is involved in harvesting them, whether they need to be processed, and where the food can be purchased. See Appendix M1: Seasonal Foods.
5. Have the students tape their food drawings to the relevant section of the diagram of the four seasons. Post the display in the school. You may also wish to create a section of the diagram for foods from outside the province or country.
Part B: Outdoors 1. Play the musical seasons game:
• Take students out to the schoolyard. • Using pylons with a picture or colour representing each season, mark out four areas to represent spring, winter, summer, and fall. • Have students walk around the perimeter of the pylons (as in the game musical chairs). • Call out the name of a fruit or vegetable. The students jump into the area representing the season in which it is harvested. Students who go to the wrong seasonal area are eliminated from the game. • For reference, see Appendix M1: Seasonal Foods.
2. Take a class walk:
• Walk through the community to view fruit trees and gardens. Identify the seasonal produce that you see during the walk. • Share observations under a tree at the end of your walk using the Reflection Questions. Connecting with Nature 117 Round the year
Reflection Questions • Did you see any seasonal fruit trees or vegetable gardens on our walk? Should we incorporate these types of plants into our schoolyard? What would be the benefits to our community? Which of the foods on your seasonal display do you eat regularly?
• Why is it better to eat local crops grown in season rather than local crops grown out of season in a greenhouse or from far away?
• What are some other important things to consider when you buy food?
• Where are some of the other places in the world that provide us with fresh produce? What are the impacts on nature from eating those foods instead of local and naturally produced foods?
• What do you think would be the biggest benefit to you and your family if you ate seasonal, organic foods?
• What kind of action could you take through your Class Foundation to help raise awareness in your community about the benefits of eating seasonal, locally grown foods?
Taking it further Computer / LCD projector or overhead projector / Smart Board • Display photos of locally grown produce. Ask students to categorize the produce into the appropriate season.
• Sort foods into their appropriate seasonal category using a Smart Notebook.
• Display Appendix M1: Seasonal Foods on a Smart Board or overhead projector. Ask students if they’re familiar with the foods on the list.
• Display a map of the world and a map of the local area. Compare how far foods from other places and from the local area must travel.
• Visit Foodland Ontario to find out when seasonal produce is available in Ontario. Go to davidsuzuki.org/youthandnature/m.
Community / Home engagement activities • Have parents assist students in documenting the foods they consume at home. Consider where the food came from and when they were grown. If they don’t know, they can do the research as a family.
• As a family, visit a farm, greenhouse, or farmers market. Ask where the various foods are grown or sold. This activity can be combined with Lesson Plan N: Where’s the Beef? 118 Connecting with Nature Round the year
Optional class activities • Help students understand the amount of time it takes to grow different kinds of foods. If you have a window in your classroom, germinate a variety of vegetables and herbs. Have the students record their growth and care. Once the vegetables are ready for planting, create a school garden or have students take the seedlings home to plant in their own yards. For herbs, continue to grow them in the classroom and offer taste tests or have students take them home to cook with.
• Create a rap, poem, or jingle. Challenge students to develop a creative way to remember which foods are grown in each season.
• Have students select one food grown in another country. Compare the journey of that food to their table and the journey of the same food grown in Ontario.
Additional resources and websites Visit davidsuzuki.org/youthandnature/m learn more about food production. Connecting with Nature 119 Appendix M1 ( 1 of 2 ) Round the year
Seasonal foods
Seasonal foods greenhouse gases than local British lamb. Why? Because the British flocks were fed Depending on where and how your food is grains, which take a lot of energy to grow, produced, there can be a big price to pay. while the New Zealand flocks were grazed And we don’t mean just money. Here are on grass. some things to consider when buying food to eat. By choosing locally, naturally grown Another problem is the way food is food, you help nature by reducing fossil fuel packaged when it’s shipped a long way. use and air pollution, including greenhouse Producers don’t want it to go bad, so they gas emissions. pack it unripe to ensure it will be ready when it gets to you. That can cause the fruit to be Imagine an apple. Where did it come from? less nutritious than if it was picked in your Sometimes our apples come from close by. area. The excessive packaging also uses Sometimes they come from far away, like more energy and creates more waste. New Zealand. As you can imagine, when an apple comes from farther away, the Sometimes, harmful chemicals are added transportation required to get it here causes to the food so that it won’t get mouldy or go air pollution and uses non-renewable fuel. rotten on its journey. Using a lot of fertilizer or chemicals to help plants grow can also Did you know that there is a word add significantly to how much energy is used for this? to produce your food. Food-miles refers to how far food has travelled. An average meal in North So what can you and your family do American travels about 1,200 kilometres to help? from the farm to the table. That’s a long way. • Start by growing food in your own Imagine how much air pollution this journey backyard. If you don’t have your creates from burning fossil fuels. own garden, your family can join a community garden or find an allotment But how your food is produced can be even to rent some land. Your family can also more important than where it is grown. join a food co-operative that shares the Food-miles make up about 11 per cent of harvest from a large local garden, farm, the overall carbon footprint of food, or orchard. Or you can ask someone if whereas how the food is grown makes up you can grow food in their garden and over 80 per cent. share the harvest. Make sure to avoid For example, one study showed that lamb using chemical fertilizers and pesticides. raised in New Zealand and shipped 18,000 • When possible, choose to buy food that kilometres to the United Kingdom still is organic, or grown more naturally. produced less than one-quarter of the 120 Connecting with Nature Round the year Appendix M1 ( 2 of 2 )
Seasonal foods
• Buy your food from a local organic Summer: artichoke, Asian vegetables, beans farmer. Your family can go to farmers (green or wax), beets, bok choy, broccoli, markets or can ask your grocer to bring cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, celery, corn, in more local and organic produce. cucumber, eggplant, garlics, leeks, lettuce, mushrooms, onions, parsnips, peas (green • Every time you choose fresh fruits or or snow), peppers, potatoes, radicchio, vegetables, take a moment to consider radishes, rapini, spinach, sprouts, squash, how and where it was grown. Many sweet potatoes, tomatoes, and zucchini grocers now post where the individual + apples, apricots, blueberries, cherries, produce they sell comes from. When currants, gooseberries, grapes, muskmelon, your family buys food, try to choose food nectarines, peaches, pears, plums, that has travelled the shortest distance. raspberries, strawberries, and watermelon • Eat at restaurants that buy as much of their ingredients as possible from local, Fall: artichoke, Asian vegetables, beans, organic producers. Don’t be afraid to ask beets, bok choy, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, where your food comes from. cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, celery, corn, cucumber, eggplant, garlic, leeks, lettuce, mushrooms, onions, parsnips, peas (snow), peppers, potatoes, radishes, rapini, rutabaga, spinach, sprouts, squash, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, and zucchini + apples, blueberries, crabapples, cranberries, grapes, muskmelon, nectarines, peaches, pears, plums, raspberries, strawberries, and watermelon
Winter: beets, cabbage, carrots, garlic, A girl picks some seasonal carrots from the garden. leeks, mushrooms, onions, parsnips, potatoes, rutabaga, sprouts, squash, and Seasonal vegetables + fruits sweet potatoes + apples and pears
in Ontario Source: Foodland Ontario Availability Guide Spring: asparagus, beets, cabbage, carrots, mushrooms, onions, parsnips, radishes, rutabaga, spinach, sprouts, squash, and sweet potatoes + apples, rhubarb, and strawberries N 121
Math, science, health and physical education, language Where’s the beef? How can you help nature by eating less meat?
Time required Guiding question 40–60 min + discussion and In what ways does eating less meat promote healthy, class trip sustainable living? What You Need What’s the point? 11 clear containers In this lesson, students begin to understand how eating Small cotton balls (about 400) meat affects nature. They also showcase their learning by Poster paper and writing tools preparing an information booth for the school. Meat is one Small table for an information of the most resource-intensive (land, water, and energy) and booth waste-producing sources of nutrition. By choosing to eat less meat, we can live more sustainably and within the limits Resources of nature. Eating less meat is also a healthier lifestyle choice. Appendix N1: How meat production and consumption Suggested strategies for assessment affect nature Assess students using the Anecdotal Notes Organizer (see the Assessment Appendix, p. 171) and the observation question.
• Observation question: Are students able to identify the benefits of eating less meat and apply their knowledge to scenarios in their everyday lives?
Choose an Optional Class Activity and assess students using a tool from the Assessment Appendix.
Hook Have students view a seven-minute video on the environmental impacts of consuming ground beef at davidsuzuki.org/youthandnature/n.
Ask the class: What do you think of the video? What are the connections between eating meat and living within the limits of nature? 122 Connecting with Nature Where’s the beef?
What you do Did you know? Part A: Classroom Canadians are meat lovers. Along 1. With the class, review Appendix N1: with Americans and Australians, How meat production and consumption Canadians are among the top three affects nature. meat consumers. We eat more than twice the global average. Meat 2. With the class, review the table on production is the world’s largest user page 125 How much water is required of land, for pastures and through the to produce various foods? Discuss the use of arable land for fodder crops. implications of where all the water goes in food production.
3. Have students create a visual interpretation of the chart by placing small cotton balls in different clear containers and labelling the containers. Let one cotton ball represent 100 litres of water used in food production. For example, to represent an apple, you would need only one cotton ball, but beef would need 155 cotton balls.
4. Create an information booth outside the classroom. Display the clear containers with information posters about the amount of water needed in the production of meat and its impact on nature. To create the information posters, have the students use Appendix N1: How meat production and consumption affects nature. Title the information booth “Where’s the beef? How you can help nature by eating less meat.”
5. Discuss using the Reflection Questions.
Part B: Outdoors 1. Visit a local livestock farm, factory farm, or a butcher shop. The purpose of the visit is to help kids understand how food gets from the farm to the table.
2. Help students prepare for the visit to the farm or butcher shop by reviewing Appendix N1: How meat production and consumption affects nature. Ask them to come up with questions for the farmer or the butcher. For example, they might ask about how the livestock is raised, what happens to the animals once they leave the farm, and how the beef is sourced. Discuss using the Reflection Questions.
Reflection questions • What have you learned about water usage in the production of foods that we purchase and eat? Why does the level of water usage matter?
• What can you do to change the way you eat so that you live more within the limits of nature?
• Why is it important to figure out different ways to encourage people to eat meat-free meals?
• How could you get this message across to others in your school? To your family? Connecting with Nature 123 Where’s the beef?
• How did the visit to a local farm help you feel more connected to the food you eat and to nature?
• What did you discover about where your local butcher gets his meat? How much control do customers have on where their meat comes from?
• How can you take what you’ve learned about the impact of eating meat on nature and apply it to your Class Foundation project?
Taking it further Community / Home engagement activities • Encourage students and parents to try limiting their intake of meat. Families Teacher Tip could remove one meat product from Students may have cultural or one of their meals every week. religious reasons for not eating meat. Include those reasons in your class • Have parents bring in meatless dishes discussion and ensure your students from different cultures. are open-minded about all the • Have students record what they eat reasons for eating less or no meat. for two weeks and calculate their own ecological footprint based on their consumption of meat. At the end of this activity, students could write about their findings.
Optional class activities • Take a research challenge. Have students compare the average intake of meat products in countries around the world. Which country consumes the most meat products? How much does that country contribute to global pollution?
• Try a meat-free Monday. Encourage students to bring meat-free lunches every Monday for one month. Have students talk with their parents to help adjust their diet around these changes so they are still getting all the nutrients they need.
• Have students create a public service announcement (PSA) campaign to promote reducing meat in their diets. The campaign can express the benefits of lower meat consumption for individual health and well-being, family finances, and nature. Distribute the PSAs throughout the school (for example, with morning announcements).
Additional resources and websites Visit davidsuzuki.org/youthandnature/n to learn more about meat consumption and eating for the Earth. 124 Connecting with Nature Where’s the beef? Appendix N1 ( 1 of 2 )
How meat production and consumption affect nature
How meat production and How producing meat affects the air consumption affects nature A 2006 report by the United Nations Food Think back over all the suppers you ate this and Agriculture Organization (FAO) found week. Was there meat at every meal? Take that food production accounts for more a look at your dinner table and ask yourself greenhouse emissions that contribute to where all this food comes from. Every time climate change than transportation or you eat something, you make a choice that industry. Meat production alone contributes affects the Earth. between 14 and 22 per cent of all greenhouse gases released every year. Raising livestock Raising animals has quite an impact on requires a lot of resources like feed, chemical nature. It affects how we use the land fertilizers, pesticides and water. and the water. In Canada, we are used to having meat at our meals. But have you ever Source: Scientific American thought about eating no-meat meals just What else can I eat? one day a week? You don’t have to become Although it’s true that the production of any a vegetarian to help the Earth. Just try to food uses energy, water, and land, many change your daily eating habits a little bit. choices don’t use as much as meat. But, How producing meat affects the land if you take meat away from a meal, what will you eat instead? You can start with All over the world we use about twice as vegetables and fruit. You have over 380,000 much land for raising animals as we do for different kinds of plants to choose from, growing crops. That turns into a problem though we generally only eat about 100 of because we turn cropland into grazing land them. You don’t have to eat meat to get and destroy the homes of plants and animals. protein. Instead think about beans, soy, and How producing meat affects the water nuts. Look at this list for some ideas. Meat production uses a lot of water. Imagine • Nuts and seeds: almonds, Brazil a big steak. Now imagine a baked potato nuts, cashews, hazelnuts, walnuts, about the same size. It takes 85 times more and pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, water to produce that steak than it does the and sunflower seeds potato. Global freshwater supplies are very • Legumes: beans (black, chickpeas, limited; only about 2.5 per cent of the water kidney, lima, navy, and soy), in the world is fresh, and we have access to groundnuts (such as peanuts), less than one per cent of it. By eating less lentils (green and red), and peas meat, more fresh water can be conserved. (black-eyed, green, and yellow) Connecting with Nature 125 Appendix N1 ( 2 of 2 ) Where’s the beef?
How meat production and consumption affect nature
• Grains and cereals: amaranth, How much water is required to barley, buckwheat, corn, kamut, produce various foods? millet, oats, quinoa, rice, rye, spelt, teff, and wheat Food Water Required (in litres) How many of the foods in this list have you Apple 70 for one apple tried in your home? Maybe it’s time to try Beef 15,500 for one kilogram something new. (boneless) Remember that some raw vegetables are Bread 40 for one slice required for good health and digestion. Sea vegetables like alaria, dulse, and kelp Cheese 5,000 for one kilogram are especially nutritious. To best preserve Chicken 3,900 for one kilogram nutrient content, vegetables can be lightly Eggs 200 for one egg steamed, sautéed, or baked. Hamburger 2,400 for one hamburger I like meat. What can I eat? Milk 1,000 for one litre It is good to understand that some meat is Pork 4,800 for one kilogram better for the environment than others. The Rice 3,400 for one kilogram greenest meat may be poultry (like chicken) because of the way poultry is produced Soybeans 1,800 for one kilogram and distributed. (For example, a calorie of chicken protein requires only 5.6 calories of fossil fuel to produce. A calorie of beef Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants. protein, on the other hand, requires 20 to — Michael Pollan, In Defense of Food: 40 calories of fossil fuel to produce.) Pork An Eater’s Manifesto (Penguin, 2008) is also more environmentally friendly than beef, because pigs produce less methane gas and they breed more offspring than cows do. Lamb has the greatest impact.
Source: The Environmental Working Group 126 O
Science, health and physical education, language, social Greenbelt game show: sciences, arts Our urban support systems
Time required Guiding question 60 min + discussion What benefits do greenbelts provide and why is it important to What You Need protect greenbelts? Appendix O1: Ontario’s Greenbelt (for each group) What’s the point? Appendix O2: Greenbelt questions In this lesson, students play a game involving three rounds of (for each student) question and answer activities and a final round of group problem- solving challenges to learn about Greenbelts. Greenbelts are Appendix O3: Greenbelt Facts (for each student) protected natural expanses that wrap around urban areas. Students learn how greenbelts help protect ecosystems and limit urban Appendix O4: Map of Ontario’s sprawl, ensuring our access to clean air and water and sustaining Greenbelt our quality of life for generations to come. Appendix O5: Scavenger hunt (for each team) Suggested strategies for assessment Markers / materials for making Assess student participation using the Learning Skills Checklist (see flags Assessment Appendix, p. 145).
Resources Hook Appendix O1: Ontario’s Greenbelt Read Peter Brown’s The Curious Garden (Hachette, 2009). Appendix O2: Greenbelt questions For a teacher’s guide to the book, visit davidsuzuki.org/ Appendix O3: Greenbelt facts youthandnature/o. Appendix O4: Map of Ontario’s Ask students to explain the message of the book. Ask them if Greenbelt they know what a greenbelt is and whether or not they live near Appendix O5: Scavenger hunt one. Where is the closest one? Explain that greenbelts are natural expanses that wrap around urban areas and are essential in providing people with drinking water, food, and clean air. Greenbelts also provide homes for wild animals and plants critical to our survival.
Another option is to show a short video about the Ontario Greenbelt. Younger grades can watch What Is It Worth to You and older grades can watch Celebrating Five Years of Ontario’s Greenbelt at davidsuzuki.org/youthandnature/o. Connecting with Nature 127 Greenbelt game show
What You Do Part A: Classroom Teacher Tip 1. Show the class Appendix O4: Map of Ontario’s Greenbelt. Discuss the Set up the learning environment like locations of the different greenbelts a game show. and point out the closest greenbelt in your local area. Introduce the four components that make up a greenbelt: farmland, watershed, forests, and natural green space. With the class, review Appendix O1: Ontario’s Greenbelt, which provides the answers for the game show questions.
2. Divide the class into four teams. Number students one to four to correspond with the four components of the greenbelt: • Team Farm represents the farms and all agricultural production that occurs in the greenbelts. This team is essential to providing food for millions of people. • Team Water represents the watersheds and natural filtration provided by wetlands in the greenbelts. This team is essential to ensuring clean water at a low cost and to help us avoid building huge water treatment plants to complete the same task. • Team Trees represents the forests and trees within the greenbelts. This team is essential to absorbing harmful emissions like carbon and carbon dioxide. • Team Fun represents the recreational opportunities that greenbelts offer. This team is essential for fun things like camping, hiking, and biking.
3. Tell the teams they will be given time to create a communal flag and team call. (The flag should express the attributes of the team and be a gathering point on display throughout the competition. For example the team call for the Farm Team might be “Moo!”) Distribute Appendix O3: Greenbelt Facts to each student and remind students that all the answers they will need for the game can be found in Appendix O1: Ontario’s Greenbelt and Appendix O3: Greenbelt Facts. They read the information over as a group.
4. After the teams have had time to discuss, instruct the students that they will be competing against each other for greenbelt points. Each correct answer equals five greenbelt points for the team. Whichever student(s) makes the team call first is allowed to answer the question. If the answer is incorrect, the other team may then have a chance to answer the question. Reuse questions to emphasize the information.
5. For Round One Questions (Introduction the Greenbelt), students compete in groups. • Students remain at their seats and are encouraged to have group discussion to form consensus. • Choose three to five questions from the Group section of the Greenbelt Questions. 128 Connecting with Nature Greenbelt game show
6. For Round Two Questions (Discuss the Greenbelt), students compete in pairs.
• Two students from two teams come to the front of the class. • Remind students that they may bring Appendix O3: Greenbelt Facts along with them. • Have students answer a question from the Individual / Pair Questions in Appendix O2: Greenbelt Questions. • Repeat for the next two teams. • Repeat until all team members have participated.
7. For round three questions (Apply Greenbelt Facts), students compete individually and may use Appendix O3: Greenbelt Facts as a resource.
• Individual team members come to the front of the class. • Each student answers an Individual Question. • Repeat until all students have participated.
Part B: Outdoors 1. For Round Four, students participate in the Outdoor Group Challenge.
• Before going outside, brainstorm the similarities between the outdoors and greenbelts. 2. Do a scavenger hunt. Challenge teams to search in the schoolyard for the items in Appendix O5: Scavenger Hunt List (feel free to add your own items to the list). Have students report their findings and award greenbelt points appropriately.
3. Discuss using Reflection Questions.
Reflection questions • How did the scavenger hunt relate to what you’ve learned about the Ontario Greenbelt?
• Can you think of any other ways your outdoor experience relates to greenbelts? (For example, running outdoors may involve running along greenbelt trails.)
• Why is it so important to have greenbelts? What would happen if land was not protected from development?
• How do greenbelts help us live within the limits of nature?
• What are some of the benefits of greenbelts? What did you learn about the greenbelt that you didn’t know before?
• Do you live near a greenbelt? How can you use your Class Foundation project to support or develop a greenbelt in your community? Connecting with Nature 129 Greenbelt game show
Taking it further LCD projector / computer / Smart Board • Create an overhead copy of Appendix O3: Greenbelt Facts.
• Display Appendix O4: Map of Ontario’s Greenbelt.
• Use the Smart Board to display Appendix O2: Greenbelt Questions.
Mobile device • Encourage students to use mobile devices to photograph the items on the scavenger hunt.
Community / home engagement activities • Encourage families to explore a greenbelt if they live near one.
• Encourage families to buy local produce from local farmers to support the greenbelt agriculture economy.
Optional class activities • Plant and take care of a tree in the community. Ensure the tree receives the necessary support and care to flourish.
• Research the greenbelt areas closest to your community. Take students on a guided nature tour in the greenbelt or along a local trail. Lead a discussion asking students why they value spending time in nature and why preserving the natural space around them is more valuable than building more houses and roads. Complete the lesson in a greenbelt or go on a hike and have a lunch at a local farm.
• Explore some of the listed Additional Resources and Websites. Then create brochures or public service announcements that communicate information about greenbelts and Ontario’s greenbelts.
• Using sidewalk chalk, create a Greenbelt Game Show mural, illustrating for others the four naturally protected areas found within a greenbelt: farmlands, watersheds, forests, and natural green spaces.
Additional resources and websites Visit davidsuzuki.org/youthandnature/o to learn more about greenbelts. 130 Connecting with Nature Greenbelt game show Appendix O1
Ontario’s Greenbelt
Ontario’s Greenbelt As a result, greenbelts are being created all over the country. One of the largest What would happen if our towns and cities greenbelts is in Ontario. It has been created kept growing and growing without any around the area known as the Greater limits? When is a city too big, and what does Golden Horseshoe / Greater Toronto Area. it take to sustain a large population? How do This area is one of the fastest-growing large urban areas affect nature? regions in North America and has a Environmental organizations like the David population that is expected to increase from Suzuki Foundation have worked with almost eight million to 11 million over the governments to determine that the size of next 30 years. The Ontario Greenbelt covers cities and urban growth must be limited 325 kilometres and is home to 762 plant because it leads to the disappearance of species, 225 bird species, 55 fish species, natural spaces and habitat. As we know, we 27 mammal species, 19 reptile and amphibian need these places to sustain ourselves and species, and about 66 endangered species. live within the limits of nature. All this wildlife is protected and can flourish To ensure the growth of cities is controlled, in the forests, wetlands, rivers, valleys, and provinces have created greenbelts. lakes that make up the greenbelt. Greenbelts are natural expanses that wrap around cities or large areas of urban development, forming a protective natural “belt” to ensure the continued supply of food, water, and other natural services we rely on for survival. Greenbelts also protect environmentally sensitive land, such as wetlands, forests, and farmland, from urban development. They provide clean air and clean water for cities; their trees act as “lungs” and filter Kayakers enjoy the scenery in Rouge Park, what we hope will become Canada’s first urban national park. air pollution, while rivers and streams feed sources of drinking water for millions of people. Greenbelts demonstrate respect toward nature and an understanding that we need to reduce urban sprawl and protect natural spaces to preserve important ecosystems. Connecting with Nature 131 Appendix O2 ( 1 of 4 ) Greenbelt game show
Greenbelt questions
Group questions
Question Answer
Open natural spaces in the Greenbelt are used for Hiking, camping, skiing, tourism and recreation. Over 50 per cent of people living snowshoeing, fruit picking, in central Ontario will take advantage of the recreation canoeing, kayaking, possibilities. As a group, devise a list of recreational birdwatching. activities that can be done in the Greenbelt.
There are approximately 7,000 farms in the Greenbelt, Fresh fruits and vegetables, which preserves some of the most valuable agricultural dairy, beef, pork and poultry lands in Canada. List foods that are provided from the products, and grapes. farmlands in the Greenbelt.
Define wetlands. Wetlands are natural areas where water and land meet. They provide food, habitat, and shelter for many species of wildlife such as deer, moose, ducks, beavers, insects, frogs, and birds. Wetlands are a critical part of much larger systems known as watersheds that move water across the land. Examples of wetlands include bogs, marshes, ponds, and swamps.
What are some vegetables that are grown in Asparagus, beans, broccoli, the Greenbelt? cucumbers, mushrooms, peppers, potatoes, tomatoes, and zucchinis.
How do trees help the environment? Trees improve air and water quality, they lower temperatures by providing shade, and they supply habitats for birds, insects, and small animals like squirrels. 132 Connecting with Nature Greenbelt game show Appendix O2 ( 2 of 4 )
Greenbelt questions
Individual and pair questions (1 of 3)
Question Answer
True or false? True
Half of landowners in the Greenbelt are farmers.
Forests and trees provide improvements in air quality. They A) Two trees remove air pollution and provide oxygen. How many trees does it take to provide enough oxygen for a family of four?
A) Two trees B) No trees C) 1 million trees
What plant from the list below is not listed as endangered B) Perennials in the Greenbelt?
A) Lakeside daisy B) Perennials C) Cucumber tree / Cucumber Magnolia D) Red mulberry
What are some vegetables that are grown in the Greenbelt? Asparagus, beans, broccoli, cucumbers, mushrooms, peppers, potatoes, tomatoes, and zucchinis.
What are two endangered insects that are found in A) Monarch and the West the Greenbelt? Virginia White Butterfly
A) Monarch and West Virginia White Butterfly B) mosquitoes and bees C) grasshoppers and ants
Greenbelts protect areas such as green spaces, wetlands, C) Farmland and forests. What other area do they protect?
A) Mountains B) Factories C) Farmland
True or false? True
You can continuously hike from Rice Lake, south of Peterborough, to Queenston in Niagara, and up to Tobermory on Georgian Bay — all within the Greenbelt. Connecting with Nature 133 Appendix O2 ( 3 of 4 ) Greenbelt game show
Greenbelt questions
Individual and pair questions (2 of 3)
Question Answer
Complete the sentence: Greenbelts are an example of B) protect green spaces people respecting nature, understanding that nature has around cities limits, and realizing that we need to reduce urban sprawl and…
A) Destroy more ecosystems B) Protect green spaces around cities C) The amount of litter from cities
What helps to reduce noise and ultraviolet radiation in A) Trees cities?
A) Trees B) Grass C) Both trees and grass
In the city, a hot summer day can be even hotter because of C) 5 degrees the heat reflected off pavement and concrete. That same hot summer day can be cooler in parks or other natural settings. What is the difference in temperature on the same hot summer day between an urban setting, like a city, and a natural setting, like a park in the Greenbelt?
A) 10 degrees B) No difference — it’s the same temperature C) 5 degrees
By protecting the Greenbelt, we ensure the continuation E) All of the above of natural services for generations to come. Destroying natural areas can have a massive impact on which of the following areas?
A) Health B) Food production C) Climate stability D) Clean water E) All the above
What area, found in the Greenbelt, is effective for the B) Wetland treatment of human waste and agricultural waste?
A) Forest B) Wetland C) Farms
What will happen if the world’s population increases and we A) We will not be able to do not protect natural areas? feed and support all the people on the planet A) We will not be able to feed and support all the people on the planet. B) We will invent new types of plants and animals to make food. C) We will move to another planet 134 Connecting with Nature Greenbelt game show Appendix O2 ( 4 of 4 )
Greenbelt questions
Individual and pair questions (3 of 3)
Question Answer
What is the name of the fastest-growing area in North C) Southern Ontario’s America and the area the Greenbelt surrounds? Golden Horseshoe / The Greater Toronto Area A) Southern Ontario B) Muskoka C) Southern Ontario’s and Hamilton Golden Horseshoe / The Greater Toronto Area and Hamilton
What are four services the Greenbelt provides? F) All of the above
A) Agriculture B) Water filtration / watersheds C) Trees / carbon storage D) Recreation / personal benefits / enjoyment E) Both a) and c) F) All of the above
How many fish species can be found in the Greenbelt? B) 55 fish species
A) Two species B) 55 species C) A million species
The bald eagle, barn owl, and the red-headed woodpecker B) Endangered birds in are examples of what? the Greenbelt
A) Invasive species B) Endangered birds in the Greenbelt C) Flying predators
How much of the sour cherry crop is produced in C) One-half Ontario’s Greenbelt?
A) None B) One-quarter C) One-half
What endangered mammals can be found in the Greenbelt? D) All of the above
A) Cougar B) Grey fox C) Southern flying squirrel D) All of the above
True or false? True
There are 7,000 farms in the Greenbelt.
Adapted from Ontario’s Wealth, Canada’s Future: Appreciating the Value of the Greenbelt’s Eco-Services (The David Suzuki Foundation, 2008) Connecting with Nature 135 Appendix O3 ( 1 of 2 ) Greenbelt game show
Greenbelt facts
General facts Wetlands • The Ontario Greenbelt surrounds • A wetland is a natural area where water the fastest-growing area in North and land meet. It provides food, habitat, America, known as The Greater Golden and shelter for many species of wildlife Horseshoe / Greater Toronto Area and such as deer, moose, ducks, beavers, Hamilton (GTAH). insects, frogs, and birds. Wetlands are a critical part of much larger systems • Four services provided by greenbelts known as watersheds that move water are farming and food production, water across the land. Examples of wetlands filtration / watersheds, trees and air include bogs, marshes, ponds, filtration, and recreation and personal and swamps. enjoyment. • Wetland plants and soil such as peat • Open natural spaces in the Greenbelt and certain grasses act like sponges, are used for tourism and recreation. absorbing rain and controlling how quickly Over 50 per cent of people living in it gets into the soil, preventing floods. The central Ontario will take advantage of roots bind the soil together, keeping it the recreation possibilities, including from being eroded by wind and waves. In hiking, camping, skiing, snowshoeing, coastal areas, tidal wetlands slow down fruit picking, canoeing, kayaking, and destructive storm surges. Wetlands also birdwatching. absorb and store enormous amounts • In the Greenbelt, it is possible to hike of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, continuously from Rice Lake, south of thereby helping us to fight climate change. Peterborough, to Queenston in Niagara, • Wetlands are home to a great richness and up to Tobermory on Georgian Bay. of biodiversity — including wild flowers, • By protecting the Greenbelt, we ensure birds, turtles, and frogs and insects. generations to come will continue to Many wetland plants take up and be supplied with the benefits nature store nutrients for other creatures to provides, like food, clean air, and clean consume. Others absorb and store water. If the Greenbelt were destroyed, toxins, such as heavy metals like iron it would affect our health, food and copper. production, the climate, and our access to clean water and air. Source: the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands
• The Greenbelt protects areas such as farmlands, watersheds, forests, and natural green spaces.
136 Connecting with Nature Greenbelt game show Appendix O3 ( 2 of 2 )
Greenbelt facts
Farms • Hot summer days can feel even hotter in a city because of the heat reflected • There are approximately 7,000 farms in off pavement and concrete. But in the Ontario Greenbelt. parks and natural green spaces, the • Half of landowners in the Greenbelt temperatures can be five degrees lower, are farmers. making that hot day more bearable.
• Farms in the Greenbelt protect the most Species in the Greenbelt valuable farming lands in Canada and • In the Greenbelt, there are 55 fish provide foods such as fresh fruits and species, 27 mammal species, vegetables, dairy, beef, pork, poultry 19 reptile and amphibian species, products, and grapes. and 66 endangered species. • The Greenbelt produces 25 per cent of • Endangered plants in the Greenbelt Ontario’s apples, almost 90 per cent include the lakeside daisy, cucumber of Ontario peaches, 50 per cent of tree / cucumber magnolia, and Ontario’s sour cherries, and over 85 per red mulberry. cent of Ontario’s grapes and raspberries. • Endangered insects in the Greenbelt • There are many vegetables grown in the include the Monarch butterfly and the Greenbelt such as asparagus, beans, West Virginia white butterfly. broccoli, cucumbers, mushrooms, peppers, potatoes, tomatoes, and zucchinis. • Endangered mammals in the Greenbelt include the eastern cougar / mountain Forests lion, grey fox, and southern flying squirrel. • Forest and trees are important for • Endangered fish in the Greenbelt include human health, but they are also great river redhorse, silver shiner, and for nature. Trees improve the air and northern brook lamprey. water quality. They lower temperatures by providing shade, and they supply • Endangered reptiles / amphibians in the habitats for birds, insects, and small Greenbelt include spring salamander, animals like squirrels. Blanding’s turtle, and the eastern ribbon • Fun Fact: It only takes two trees to provide snake. enough oxygen for a family of four! • Endangered birds in the Greenbelt • Trees are important in cities to help include the bald eagle, barn owl, and the block out UV radiation and noise. red-headed woodpecker.
Source: The Greenbelt Foundation and Ontario’s Greenbelt: A Resource for Teachers Connecting with Nature 137 Appendix O4 Greenbelt game show
Map of Ontario’s Greenbelt 138 Connecting with Nature Greenbelt game show Appendix O5
Scavenger hunt
Nature scavenger hunt list Let’s go out and find: 1. A spider’s web 6. At least three different types of trees
2. A bird’s nest 7. A frog
3. A groundhog hole 8. At least four kinds of insects
4. A squirrel 9. One kind of fungus
5. The number of gardens around the schoolyard P 139 A celebration of nature: Look what we have learned!
Time required Guiding question From 30 min to a full day What have I learned about my connection with nature and what I can do to protect it?
What’s the point? In this culminating activity, students celebrate what they have learned about environmental conservation and stewardship. They appreciate and value their connection to nature and spend time together enjoying what nature has to offer.
What you do Ask your students to help plan a celebration party. How would they like to celebrate all they’ve learned? What fun things can they do to celebrate their connection to nature?
Here are some suggested activities, which can be enjoyed individually or combined:
• Have a class picnic in the schoolyard or local park where students dine on as many local foods as possible. • Hold a scavenger hunt or a contest that challenges students to identify all the different trees, birds, and flowers they see. • Take a class trip to a local conservation area or greenbelt. Contact your local conservation authority for information about nature programs or guided hikes. • Take a nature appreciation walk around your school’s neighborhood and have students try to identify the birds, trees, and flowers they see. 140 Connecting with Nature A celebration of nature
• Write a letter or email to the David Suzuki Foundation and “Young people ask me all the time how send information and photos of they can become an “environmentalist.” your class activities. My reply is that we all need to be environmentalists and it shouldn’t be • Plant a school garden with seen as a separate job. So go out and be native plants, vegetables, an engineer, or a doctor, or a teacher, flowers, and fruit trees. but also do what you can to help protect • Take a class bike ride to a local nature by making it a part of everything park and have a picnic. you do.” — David Suzuki You can also plan a bigger celebration:
• For Family Nature Day, have families prepare food with local produce for a class potluck. Invite parents to attend and encourage them to share recipes. Find the good things that grow in Ontario at davidsuzuki.org/youthandnature/p. • For school nature day, include all the classes in the school.
For community nature day, include partners like community centres, local organizations, and businesses. 141
Glossary alter the chemical composition of the atmosphere through the buildup of greenhouse gases, which trap heat and A reflect it back to the Earth’s surface. Also Acid rain: Rain, snow, hail, sleet, and fog referred to as global warming. polluted by chemicals in the air. Compost: A natural fertilizer that provides Agriculture: The cultivation of soil, plants, plants with nutrients and increases water animals, fungi, and other products to retention in soil. sustain life. Composting: The practice of collecting Air quality: The measure of purity of organic wastes such as grass clippings, invisible, odourless, and tasteless gases leaves, and food wastes, allowing them to that surround the Earth. break down to produce soil-like humus or compost that can be used to nourish new B plant growth. Biodegradable: Able to be broken down Conservation: The preservation and by bacteria or other living organisms. efficient use of water, forests, and other Biodiversity: The variety of plants, natural resources so they will not be animals, and ecosystems in the world. unnecessarily damaged or wasted.
C Conserve: To reduce or save.
Carbon dioxide: A colourless, odourless Consume: To use or buy. gas that is a normal part of the air. It Consumer: A person who buys and uses is released through animal respiration goods; a plant or animal that requires and the decay of organic matter, and complex organic compounds for food, absorbed by plants in photosynthesis. It is which it obtains by preying on other a greenhouse gas that traps radiation and living things or eating particles of contributes to climate change. organic matter.
Climate: The average weather (usually Cosmetics: Products used to improve or taken over a 30-year period) for a restore a person’s appearance or odour. particular region and time period. Weather describes the short-term state of the D atmosphere. Climatic elements include Deforestation: When many trees are precipitation, temperature, humidity, cleared from a large area. sunshine, wind velocity, phenomena such as fog, frost, and hailstorms, and other Draft: A current of air coming into or out measures of the weather. of a confined space. For example, a house may lose warm air through a draft out Climate change: Changes in long-term the window. weather patterns caused by natural phenomena and human activities that 142
E F
Ecological footprint: Measures human Food chain: The way each living creature impact on the environment; how much depends on other living things as sources space or productive land is needed to of food. The relationship between plants support an individual’s lifestyle. The and animals that shows who eats what. larger the footprint, the more impact the Energy is transferred from one organism individual has on the Earth. to another.
Ecology: The study of the relationships Fossil fuel: The non-renewable remains of between organisms and their environment. plant and animal life that can be burned to produce energy. Fossil fuels include coal, Ecosystem: A community of animals and oil, and natural gas. plants and their relationships with each other and their environment. Foundation: An organization that works toward a common goal. Electricity or electric current: A form of energy found in nature which can be Fresh water: Contains little or no salt; artificially produced by rubbing together normally found in glaciers, ice caps, ponds, two unlike things, by the action of lakes, rivers, groundwater, and streams. chemicals, or by means of a generator. G Emissions: Pollutants sent out into the air, water, or soil. Greenbelt: A natural area that wraps around cities and is essential in providing Energy: The ability to do work. Energy is the population with drinking water, clean in everything we do. It is never created air, and foods. It ensures the protection of or lost but only changed from one form native species. to another. Green energy: Energy that reduces Energy efficiency: Reducing the amount emissions and is created from renewable of energy we consume to support resources. our lifestyles. Greenhouse effect: Produced when Environment: The physical surroundings, greenhouse gases allow incoming solar conditions, and circumstances that affect radiation to pass through the Earth’s the survival of all life on Earth. atmosphere, and as those gases prevent Extinction: The disappearance of most of the infrared radiation of the a type (species) of plant or animal surface and lower atmosphere from from Earth. Some species — like the escaping into outer space. This process dinosaurs — become extinct because of occurs naturally and has kept the Earth’s non-human forces, but many others are temperature about 60 degrees Fahrenheit becoming endangered or threatened with warmer than it would otherwise be. extinction because of human activities. Current life on Earth could not be sustained without the natural greenhouse effect. 143
Greenhouse gases: Some gases, such society through agriculture, energy, and as carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous decomposition of organic matter (that is, oxide, and CFCs, trap heat in the trash in the landfill). atmosphere by absorbing long-wave radiation while letting the sun’s energy N pass through. Because these gases work Nature: All of the physical power creating in the atmosphere, just as transparent all of the phenomena — plants, animals, greenhouse roofs and walls allow sunlight landscape, and climate — that make up the in while trapping heat, they are called material world. greenhouse gases. Nitrous oxide: A greenhouse gas with Groundwater: Water in the ground that emissions created by industrial production flows in the spaces between soil particles such as the production of nylon. and rocks. Groundwater supplies water for Non-biodegradable: An object that wells and springs. cannot be broken down by bacteria or H other living organisms.
Habitat: The place where an animal Non-renewable: Energy or resources that or plant naturally lives, grows, eats, come from sources we are using up and and drinks. cannot be easily replaced in a short period of time. These resources are considered Household hazardous waste: A product unsustainable and once depleted are no that is discarded from a home that is longer available. Non-renewable resources ignitable, corrosive, reactive, or toxic (for are things like fossil fuels, nuclear power, example, used motor oil, oil-based paint, and wild fish stocks. auto batteries, gasoline, and pesticides). O L Organic: From plants or animals and Landfill:A carefully designed structure built generally pertaining to compounds formed in or on top of the ground in which trash is by living organisms. isolated from the surrounding environment such as groundwater, air, and rain. Ozone layer: A thin layer in the atmosphere surrounding the Earth Limits of nature: The finite capacity the that shields us from most of the sun’s planet has to support life on Earth. ultraviolet light rays. Litter: Waste that is improperly disposed of in the street, sidewalk, bodies of water, P and the general environment. Pesticide: Chemicals used for killing unwanted insects. M Pollinate: The process of fertilizing Methane: Second only to carbon dioxide with pollen. as a contributor to climate change. Methane emissions are created in Pollinators: An organism that fertilizes with pollen. 144
Pollutant: A substance that doesn’t S normally belong somewhere that may Soil erosion: The washing or blowing away have harmful or unwanted effects. of topsoil. Trees and other plants hold the Pollute: To contaminate or defile soil in place and help reduce the force of the environment. wind or water. Soil erosion happens when trees and plants are cut down. Pollution: Environmental contamination with human-made waste. Species at risk: Any naturally occurring plant or animal in danger of extinction Preserve: To protect and keep in existence. or disappearing. R T Recycle: To use again; to crush, melt down, or change something that has Toxic: Poisonous. already been used to make a new item U instead of throwing the used item away. For example, glass bottles can be crushed Urban development: Also known as and made into pavement, and old paper urbanization. The construction of towns can be used to make more paper. and cities that converts a rural area into an urban one. Recycled: Material that has been separated from garbage waste, V reprocessed into a new product, Vermicomposting: The process whereby and then bought back to the worms feed on slowly decomposing consumer as a new item. materials such as vegetable scraps in Reduce: To use less material in the a controlled environment to produce a production of an item. It also refers to nutrient-rich soil. consuming less energy and generating less waste in making, using, and disposing W of products ranging from automobiles to Watershed: The area drained by a milk jugs. single lake or river and its tributaries; Reforestation: Planting and growing a drainage basin. new trees where other trees have Web of life: The extraordinary variety been cut down. of living creatures and ecological Renewable: Energy or resources that communities growing and interacting come from sources that can be used with each other all over the world. It is the again and again, and will never run out. richness and complexity of species and As a result they are called sustainable. ecosystems throughout the planet. Examples include energy from sunlight, Wetland: A marsh, swamp, bog, or other wind, running water, and trees. stretch of land that that is frequently Reuse: To find a new function for an item saturated with water. that has outgrown its original use; use again (for example, wash and reuse dishes). 145 Learning skills checklist – Grade 4 P O N M L K J I specific expectation H
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C O B A S O S O S O S Grade 4 curriculum — Ontario expectations expectations 4 curriculum — Ontario Grade Investigate the interdependence of plants and animals within specific habitats and communities Demonstrate an understanding of habitats and communities and the relationships among the plants and animals that live in them Analyze the positive and negative impacts of human communities, and habitats natural with interactions taking different perspectives into account, and evaluate the ways of minimizing the negative impact Identify reasons for the depletion or extinction of a plant or animal species, evaluate the impacts on the rest of the natural community, and propose possible extinctions or depletions such preventing for actions from happening Read, interpret, and draw conclusions from primary primary from conclusions draw and interpret, Read, data and from secondary data presented in charts, tables, and graph Describe, through investigation, the relationship between various units of length (i.e., millimetre, kilometre) metre, decimetre, centimetre, Analyze the effects of human activities on habitats communities and Students will... * Expectations are related only to the “What Do” section You of each lesson | nit Data management and probability Measurement Habitats and communities U Math Science Subject 146 P O N M L K J I specific expectation H
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C O B A S S S S S S Grade 4 curriculum — Ontario expectations expectations 4 curriculum — Ontario Grade S S Use scientific inquiry / research skillsto investigate ways in which plants and animals in a community depend on features of their habitat meet to important needs vocabulary, technology and science appropriate Use including habitat, population, community, adaptation, and food chain, in oral and written communication Demonstrate an understanding of habitats as areas that provide plants and animals with the necessities of life Identify factors that affect the ability of plants and animals survive to in a specific habitat that factors various observation, through Identify, affect plants and animals in a specific habitat Demonstrate an understanding of a community as a group of interacting species sharing a common habitat Describe ways in which humans are dependent on natural habitat and communities Follow established safety procedures for working with soils and natural materials Students will... * Expectations are related only to the “What Do” section You of each lesson | nit Habitats and communities U Science Subject 147 P O N M L K J I specific expectation H
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C O B A S S O S S Grade 4 curriculum — Ontario expectations expectations 4 curriculum — Ontario Grade S Assess the social and environmental costs and benefits of using objects in the built environment that are made from rocks and minerals Analyze the impact on society and the environment of extracting and refining rocks and minerals for human use, taking different perspectives into account Assess the social and environmental impact of human uses of rocks and minerals Identify factors that motivate participation in physical activity every day at school, at home, or in communities their Use a range of critical and creative thinking processes assist to them in making connections, solving and analyzing goals, setting and planning problems, making decisions, and evaluating their choices in connection with learning in health and education physical Assess the impacts on society and the environment of light and/or sound energy produced different by different technologies,perspectives taking into account Students will... * Expectations are related only to the “What Do” section You of each lesson | nit Rock and minerals Active living Living skills Light and sound and Light U Health and and Health physical education Science Subject 148 P O N M L K J I specific expectation H
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S O Grade 4 curriculum — Ontario expectations expectations 4 curriculum — Ontario Grade O Listen in order to understand and respond appropriately appropriately respond and understand to order in Listen in a variety of situations for a variety of purposes Demonstrate the ability apply to health knowledge and living skills make to reasoned decisions and take health personal their to relating actions appropriate and well-being Demonstrate the ability make to connections that relate health to and well-being: how their choices and behaviours affect both themselves and others, and how factors in the world around them affect their own and others’ health and well-being Identify ways of promoting healthier food choices in a variety of settings and situations to appropriately strategies and skills speaking Use communicate with different audiences for a variety of purposes appropriate of understanding an Demonstrate listening behaviour adapting by active listening strategies suit to a wide variety of situations including work in groups Demonstrate an understanding of factors that that factors of understanding an Demonstrate contribute healthy to development Students will... * Expectations are related only to the “What Do” section You of each lesson | nit Healthy living Oral communication U Health and and Health physical education Language Subject 149 P O N M L K J I specific expectation H
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C O B A O S O S S S S Grade 4 curriculum — Ontario expectations expectations 4 curriculum — Ontario Grade S Extend understanding of oral texts connecting by the ideas in them their to own knowledge, experience, and insights; other to texts including print and visual texts; and the to world around them Demonstrate an understanding of appropriate speaking speaking appropriate of understanding an Demonstrate behaviour in a variety of situations, including paired sharing and small and large group discussions Communicate in a clear, coherent manner, a in information and opinions, ideas, presenting form understandable readily Extend understanding of texts connecting by the ideas in them their to own knowledge, experience, and insights, other to familiar texts, and the to world around them Generate ideas about a potential topic using a variety of strategies and resources Generate ideas about a potential topic using a variety of strategies and resources Read and demonstrate an understanding of a variety of literary, graphic, and informational texts, using a range of strategies construct to meaning Generate, gather, and organize ideas and information writeto for an intended purpose and audience Students will... * Expectations are related only to the “What Do” section You of each lesson | nit Reading Writing Oral communication U Language Subject 150 P O N M L K J I H specific expectation
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O S S S O S Grade 4 curriculum — Ontario expectations expectations 4 curriculum — Ontario Grade O Demonstrate an understanding of a variety of media texts Identify and describe a cause-and-effect cause-and-effect a describe and Identify relationship between the environment and the economy in a province or territory Apply the critical analysis process communicate to feelings, ideas, and understandings in response a to variety of drama works and experiences Formulate questions guide to research Create a variety of media texts for different purposes conventions, forms, appropriate using audiences, and techniques and Produce a variety of media texts for specific purposes conventions, forms, appropriate using audiences, and techniques and Apply the creative process dramatic to play and process drama, using the elements and conventions of drama communicate to feelings, ideas, and stories and cultural activities in the various provinces and territories Relate the physical environment economic to Students will...
* Expectations are related only to the “What Do” section You of each lesson | nit Drama Canada’s Canada’s provinces, territories, regions and Media literacy Media U The arts arts The Language Social studies Subject 151 P O N M L K J I H specific expectation
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S O S S S Grade 4 curriculum — Ontario expectations expectations 4 curriculum — Ontario Grade S Select and justify the most appropriate standard unit measureto length, height,width, and distance, and to measure the perimeter of various polygons Apply the creative process produce to a variety of two- and three-dimensional art works, using elements, principles, and techniques of visual arts to understandings and ideas, feelings, communicate of these factors and take advantage of those that Create two- and three-dimensional works of art that express feelings and ideas inspired their by interests experiences and primary from conclusions draw and interpret, Read, data and from secondary data presented in charts, tables, and graphs Assess the effects of social and environmental factors on human health, and propose ways in which individuals can reduce the harmful effects are beneficial Collect data conducting by a survey or an experiment to do with themselves, their environment, issues in their school or community, or content from another subject, measurements for observations record and Analyze the impact of human activities and technological innovations on human health Students will... * Expectations are related only to the “What Do” section You of each lesson | nit Data management and probability Human organ organ Human systems Measurement Visual U Math Science The artsThe Subject 152 Learning skills checklist – Grade 5 P O N M L K J I H specific expectation
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C O B A S S O S O O O Grade 5 curriculum — Ontario expectations expectations 5 curriculum — Ontario Grade S Evaluate the effects, both beneficial and harmful,of systems, body human on technologies various taking different perspectives into account Conduct investigations that explore the properties properties the explore that investigations Conduct of matter and changes in matter Use scientific inquiry / experimentation skillsto investigate changes of state and changes in matter Demonstrate an understanding of the various forms and sources of energy and the ways in which energy can be transformed and conserved Analyze the long-term impacts on society and the environment of human uses of energy and natural resources, and suggest ways reduce to these impacts Evaluate the effects of varioustechnologies on energy consumption, and propose ways in which individuals can improve energy conservation Evaluate the social and environmental impacts of processes used make to everyday products Analyze the immediate and long-term effects of energy and resources use on society and the environment, and evaluate options for conserving resources and energy Students will... * Expectations are related only to the “What Do” section You of each lesson | nit Conservation of energy and resources Human organ organ Human systems The properties of and changes in matter U Science Subject 153 P O N M L K J I H specific expectation
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C O B A S O S S O Grade 5 curriculum — Ontario expectations expectations 5 curriculum — Ontario Grade S
S Evaluate the effects, both beneficial and harmful,of systems, body human on technologies various taking different perspectives into account Use a range of critical and creative thinking skills and processes assist to in making connections, planning problems, solving and analyzing goals, setting and making decisions, and evaluating choices in connection with learning in health and physical education Identify a variety of forms of energy and give examples from everyday life of how that energy is used Demonstrate the ability apply to health knowledge and living skills make to reasoned decisions and take health personal their to relating actions appropriate well-being and Demonstrate the ability make to connections that relate health to and well-being: how their choices and behaviours affect both themselves and others, and how factors in the world around them affect their own and others’ health and well-being Identify factors that can either motivate or make it difficult for people to bephysically activeevery day and describe ways of overcoming obstacles to staying active that factors of understanding an Demonstrate contribute healthy to development Students will... * Expectations are related only to the “What Do” section You of each lesson | nit Active living Healthy living Conservation of energy and resources Living skills U Science and Health physical education Subject 154 P O N M L K J I H specific expectation
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C O B A O O S S S S Grade 5 curriculum — Ontario expectations expectations 5 curriculum — Ontario Grade O
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Read and demonstrate an understanding of a variety of literary, graphic, and informational texts, using a range of strategies construct to meaning Extend understanding of texts connecting by the ideas in them their to own knowledge, experience, and insights, other to familiar texts, and the to world around them Create a variety of media texts for different purposes conventions, forms, appropriate using audiences, and techniques & Model activities and processes of responsible citizenship Generate ideas about a potential topic using a variety of strategies and resources Generate, gather, and organize ideas and information writeto for an intended purpose and audience Demonstrate an understand of a variety of media texts Identify concrete examples of how government plays a role in contemporary society and of how the rights of groups and individuals and the responsibilities of citizenship apply their to own lives Students will... * Expectations are related only to the “What Do” section You of each lesson | nit Media literacy Media Aspects of of Aspects citizenship and in government Canada Reading Writing U Language Social studies Subject 156 P O N M L K J I H specific expectation
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O S O
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S O S S S O S O Grade 6 curriculum — Ontario expectations expectations 6 curriculum — Ontario Grade
(i.e., millimetre, centimetre, decimetre, metre, metre, decimetre, centimetre, millimetre, (i.e., decametre, kilometre) measure to length or distance in a given real-life situation Select and justify the appropriate metric unit Assess human impacts on biodiversity, and identify ways of preserving biodiversity Investigate the characteristics of living things, and specific classify to diverse organisms according characteristics Demonstrate an understanding of biodiversity, its contributions the to stability of natural systems, and its benefitsto humans Analyze a local issue related biodiversity, to taking different points of view into consideration, propose action that can be taken preserve to biodiversity, and act on the proposal Assess the benefits that human societies derive from biodiversity and the problems that occur when diminished biodiversity is Follow established safety procedures for outdoor activities and fieldwork Read, interpret, and draw conclusions from primary primary from conclusions draw and interpret, Read, data and from secondary data presented in charts, tables, and graphs Students will...
* Expectations are related only to the “What Do” section You of each lesson | nit Measurement Biodiversity Data management and probability U Math Science Subject 158 P O N M L K J I H specific expectation
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S S S S S Grade 6 curriculum — Ontario expectations expectations 6 curriculum — Ontario Grade S Use appropriate science and technology vocabulary, vocabulary, technology and science appropriate Use natural including classification, biodiversity, inevertebrate, interrelationships, community, inervertebrate, stability, characteristics, and an communication oral and written in organism, Use appropriate science and technology vocabulary, vocabulary, technology and science appropriate Use transform, static, circuit, current, battery, including electrostatic, and energy, in oral and written communication Demonstrate an understanding of biodiversity as the variety of life on earth, including variety within each species of plant and animal, among species of plants among and communities, in animals and that landscapes physical the and communities support them Describe biodiversity which in and within ways among communities important is maintaining for Explain how invasive species reduce biodiversity in environments local electricity reducing for opportunities Assess consumption at home or at school that could affect the use of non-renewable resources in a positive way or reduce the impact of electricity generation on the environment the resilience of these communities Students will... * Expectations are related only to the “What Do” section You of each lesson | nit Biodiversity U Science Subject 159 P O N M L K J I H specific expectation
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C O B A S O O O Grade 6 curriculum — Ontario expectations expectations 6 curriculum — Ontario Grade
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Use a range of critical and creative thinking skills and processes assist to in making connections, planning problems, solving and analyzing goals, setting and making decisions, and evaluating choices in connection with learning in health and physical education Demonstrate the ability apply to health knowledge and living skills make to reasoned decisions and take health personal their to relating actions appropriate well-being and Demonstrate the ability make to connections that relate health to and well-being: how their choices and behaviours affect both themselves and others, and how factors in the world around them affect their own and others’ health and well-being to appropriately strategies and skills speaking Use communicate with different audiences for a variety purposes of Describe the factors that motivate participation in daily physical activity and connect them various to activities that factors of understanding an Demonstrate contribute healthy to development Listen in order to understand and respond appropriately appropriately respond and understand to order in Listen in a variety of situations for a variety of different purposes Students will... * Expectations are related only to the “What Do” section You of each lesson | nit Oral communication Living skills Active living Healthy living U Health and and Health physical education Language Subject 160 P O N M L K J I H specific expectation
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S S O S S S Grade 6 curriculum — Ontario expectations expectations 6 curriculum — Ontario Grade S Demonstrate an understanding of appropriate appropriate of understanding an Demonstrate listening behaviour adapting by active listening including situations variety a of suit to strategies work in groups in a variety of situations including paired sharing, dialogue, and small and large group discussions Interpret oral texts using by stated and implied ideas from the texts Extend understanding of oral texts connecting, by in information and ideas contrasting and comparing, them their to own knowledge, experience, and insights; other to texts, including print and visual texts; and the to world around them sophisticated increasingly Demonstrate an behaviour speaking appropriate of understanding Communicate orally in a clear, coherent manner, formats and strategies organizing appropriate using linkto and sequence ideas and information Extend understanding of texts connecting by the ideas in them their to own knowledge, experience, and insights, other to familiar texts, and the to world around them Read and demonstrate an understanding of a variety of literary, graphic, and informational texts, using a range of strategies construct to meaning Students will... * Expectations are related only to the “What Do” section You of each lesson | nit Reading Oral communication U Language Oral Subject 161 P O N M L K J I H specific expectation
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S O Grade 6 curriculum — Ontario expectations expectations 6 curriculum — Ontario Grade
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Generate, gather, and organize ideas and information writeto for an intended purpose and audience Produce a variety of media texts for specific purposes conventions, forms, appropriate using audiences, and techniques and Describe some of the connections Canada shares with the rest of the world exports imports and Canada that products Identify Apply the creative process process to drama and the development of drama works, using the elements and conventions of drama communicate to feelings, ideas, and multiple perspectives Generate ideas about a potential topic using a variety of strategies and resources Create a variety of media texts for different purposes conventions, forms, appropriate using audiences, and techniques and Demonstrate an understanding of a variety of media texts Explain the relevance of Canada current to global influences and issues Apply the critical analysis process communicate to feelings, ideas, and understandings in response a to variety of drama works and experiences Students will...
* Expectations are related only to the “What Do” section You of each lesson | nit Canada Canada world and connections — link Canada’s theto world Drama Writing Media literacy Media U Oral Social science artsThe Subject 162 P O N M L K J I H specific expectation
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C O B A S S Grade 6 curriculum — Ontario expectations expectations 6 curriculum — Ontario Grade O
Produce two- and three-dimensional works of art feelings, (thoughts, ideas communicate that specific to and purposes specific for experiences) audiences Produce two- and three-dimensional works of art (i.e., works involving media and techniques used in that printmaking) sculpting, painting, drawing, for ideas and feelings, thoughts, communicate specific purposes andto specific audiences two-dimensional, three-dimensional,Create and multimedia art works that explore feelings, ideas, and issues from a variety of points of view Students will... * Expectations are related only to the “What Do” section You of each lesson | nit Visual U The artsThe Subject 163
Assessment overview
Anecdotal Learning Achievement Peer Arts Oral Lessons with notes skills chart assessment / rubric communication optional organizer checklist Self- rubric activity assessment assessment
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P 164
Technology overview
Computer Internet Smart board LCD projector Mobile device Overhead
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Note: Additional technology may be required to conduct certain optional class activities, and / or the “Hook” for the lesson. Consult individual lessons for guidance. 165
Student achievement chart
Categories Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 4
Knowledge / Understanding The student The student The student The student Subject-specific content demonstrates demonstrates demonstrates demonstrates acquired in each grade the specified the specified the specified the specified (knowledge), and the knowledge and knowledge and knowledge knowledge and comprehension of its skills with limited skills with some and skills with skills with a meaning and significance effectiveness effectiveness considerable high degree of (understanding) effectiveness effectiveness
Expectations being assessed:
Thinking / Inquiry The student The student The student The student The use of critical and demonstrates demonstrates demonstrates demonstrates creative thinking skills the specified the specified the specified the specified and / or processes knowledge and knowledge and knowledge knowledge and skills with limited skills with some and skills with skills with a effectiveness effectiveness considerable high degree of effectiveness effectiveness
Expectations being assessed: 166
Categories Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 4
Communication The student The student The student The student The conveying of meaning demonstrates demonstrates demonstrates demonstrates through various forms the specified the specified the specified the specified knowledge and knowledge and knowledge knowledge and skills with limited skills with some and skills with skills with a effectiveness effectiveness considerable high degree of effectiveness effectiveness
Expectations being assessed:
Application / making The student The student The student The student connections demonstrates demonstrates demonstrates demonstrates The use of knowledge and the specified the specified the specified the specified skills to make connections knowledge and knowledge and knowledge knowledge and within and between skills with limited skills with some and skills with skills with a various contexts effectiveness effectiveness considerable high degree of effectiveness effectiveness
Expectations being assessed: 167
Arts rubric
Lesson: Student name:
Expectations:
Communication
Criteria Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 4
Expression and organization Expresses Expresses Expresses Expresses of ideas and understandings and organizes and organizes and organizes and organizes in art forms (dance, drama, ideas and ideas and ideas and ideas and music, and the visual arts), understandings understandings understandings understandings including media / multimedia with limited with some with with a high Forms and in oral and effectiveness effectiveness considerable degree of written forms (e.g., clear effectiveness effectiveness expression and logical organization in critical responses to art works and informed opinion pieces)
Communication for different Communicates Communicates Communicates Communicates audiences and purposes for different for different for different for different through the arts (e.g., audiences audiences audiences and audiences and Drama presentations, visual and purposes and purposes purposes with purposes with a arts exhibitions, dance and with limited with some considerable high degree of music performances) and effectiveness effectiveness effectiveness effectiveness in oral and written forms.
Use of conventions in dance, Uses Uses Uses Uses conventions, drama, music, and the visual conventions, conventions, conventions, vocabulary, and arts (e.g., Allegory, narrative vocabulary, and vocabulary, and vocabulary, and terminology of or symbolic representation, terminology terminology terminology of the arts with a style, articulation, drama of the arts of the arts the arts with high degree of conventions, choreographic with limited with some considerable effectiveness forms, movement effectiveness effectiveness effectiveness vocabulary) and arts vocabulary and terminology in oral and written forms
Expectation(s): 168
Application
Criteria Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 4
Application of Applies Applies Applies Applies knowledge and skills knowledge knowledge knowledge and knowledge and (e.g., performance and skills in and skills in skills in familiar skills in familiar skills, composition, familiar contexts familiar contexts contexts with contexts with a elements, principles, with limited with some considerable high degree of processes, technologies, effectiveness effectiveness effectiveness effectiveness techniques,strategies) in familiar contexts
Transfer of knowledge transfers transfers transfers transfers and skills (e.g., concepts, knowledge knowledge knowledge and knowledge and strategies, processes, and skills to and skills to skills to new skills to new techniques) to new new contexts new contexts contexts with contexts with a contexts (e.g., a work with limited with some considerable high degree of requiring stylistic effectiveness effectiveness effectiveness effectiveness variation, an original composition, or student- led choreography)
Making connections makes makes makes makes within and between connections connections connections connections various contexts within and within and within and within and (e.g., between the arts; between between between various between various between the arts and various contexts various contexts contexts with contexts with a personal experiences with limited with some considerable high degree of and the world outside effectiveness effectiveness effectiveness effectiveness the school; between cultural and historical, global, social, and / or environmental contexts; between the arts and other subjects)
Expectation(s): 169
Oral communication rubric
Lesson: Student name:
Criteria Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 4
• Knowledge and • Simple • Appropriate • Appropriate • Confident use of understanding vocabulary vocabulary and effective subject-specific • Use of • Does not meet • Shows an vocabulary vocabulary vocabulary assignment effort to meet • Meets • Demonstrates • Understanding criteria assignment assignment a thorough of assignment criteria criteria understanding criteria of assignment criteria
• Thinking and • Lack of • A few • Appropriate use • Effective use of inquiry resources and appropriate of resources and resources and • Resources strategies resources and strategies strategies and strategies • Focus and intent strategies • Focus and intent • Focus and intent incorporated in unclear • Focus is evident, are clearly are presented presentation but intent is indicated in a clear and • Organization unclear effective manner of ideas
• Communication • Limited and • Some awareness • Strong sense of • Thorough • Audience unclear and clarity audience and a awareness awareness • Frequent • Some clear message of audience and intended pronunciation pronunciation • Very few and a clear purpose errors and errors and pronunciation and effective • Fluency hesitant delivery hesitant delivery errors and message • Cohesion • Limited • Moderate smooth delivery • Excellent effectiveness degree of • Considerable pronunciation and clarity effectiveness degree of and natural and clarity effectiveness delivery and clarity • Highly effective and clear
• Application • No recognition • Some • Considerable • A thorough • Connecting of relevance recognition of recognition of recognition of classroom relevance with relevance and relevance and learning to some degree of authenticity authenticity external authenticity with clear applications connections
Adapted from Nelson Education Modern Languages Assessment Rubric 170
Peer assessment / self-assessment
My name: Peer’s name:
Glow Two things done well:
Grow One thing to improve:
My name: Peer’s name:
Glow Two things done well:
Grow One thing to improve: 171
Anecdotal notes organizer
Lesson: Guiding question:
Student Names Notes 172 Printed on 100% post-consumer waste recycled fibre. Processed chlorine and acid free. Connecting With Nature: An educational guide for grades four to six.
Filled with fun, hands-on activities to help children explore their profound connection to nature, this guide encourages students to get outside and let their curiosity about nature run wild. Visit davidsuzuki.org/youthandnature to learn more.